Chronicles of a Pinoy Engineer in Singapore

Singing with VocaBlends (Singapore)

2010-11-24T17:22:00.002+08:00

Last October 28, 2010, a new a Capella group called VocaBlends was born under the leadership of Earl Stanley Lazo. Though I have been rehearsing with them for the past 1 month, its the day that we officially named the group.

"Voca" stands for voice and "Blends" is the literal meaning of the word itself. A blending of voices to form a beautiful music. There was a discussion before we decided with the name, since it sounds like a coffee blends which we usually found in Starbucks. However, with the objective of creating an impression of being cool and fun singing group, we thought, the name may be the proper representation to what we are trying to project.

I was invited before by other choir groups, but never did I attempt to join one, because I was too busy with my sports. I have been a very active badminton and paintball player for the past 3 years here in Singapore. Yet the passion in singing never fade away from me.

Though my usual videoke jam with friends, ended up with appreciation and encouragement for me to join singing contest, I never thought of joining a singing group. Personally, my housemates can determine my mood through the songs that I sing at home. When I am so down, I will open my laptop and sing all sad songs from youtube.

I remember there was a moment last Christmas 2007, I was so lonely of not being able to come home on Christmas, I started singing "Sana Ngayong Pasko" in the living room. One of my housemates came out of her room, crying. I did sing it well, but never did I realize that I can make someone cry with the way I sing.

So then last September, a badminton partner invited me to join a Pinoy acapella group. I was hesitant at first, for my impression on choir is really more of old classical songs that I would have a hard time to relate. Yeah, I sing from the heart..I don't like to sing songs which I do not understand. So I came to the rehearsal to observe, not really planning to join them.

Then they sang " Change the World and Now that I Have You". It was not perfect yet, but I was amazed that a simple doo, daa and doom, could create a good sound if sang together in different tune. Speaking of my inexperience in music, I was astounded by how this "Maestro Earl" could memorize each tune and allow us to sing it altogether.

It was a good timing for myself, that was the time that family pressures came like torrents. And I just realized that even my sports does not have the power to calm me down. I am sleepless and restless. I would exercise, run and play non stop for a week, in an effort to calm me down. But then, my body gets tired..but my mind does not.

This new passion has brought ways for me to relax. I realized that after all this years, singing has been my innermost flame that has never been fully utilized. I got to accept that this is a talent, and its time for me to share it with everyone else. And with this new group, I aim to sing to my very best and share joy to my "kababayans" who are here, and just like me is trying to provide good life for their families back in Philippines.

Similar to the badminton club I started, I will pursue this passion with the same objective. To entertain and provide joy to others. A smile is more than enough than the biggest trophy you could find in the world. What feeling in the world is greater than knowing that you have made someone smile and enjoy your talent.

Hopefully, by next year, we would be ready to perform for the Filipino community here in Singapore or even the local Singaporean community. God, Thank you for the music :-)

Paintballing in Singapore again...SPS 2010

2010-10-19T13:59:00.003+08:00

The last time I played paintball was last March 2009 during the Malaysia National Paintball League. It was my last game after deciding to completely stop from playing paintball. And just recently, some former members of PSG Warfreakz were trying to convince me to lead a team again in Singapore Paintball Series 2010. It took me a month before I decided to put up a 6 man team for the competition. The tournament was held at East Coast Park, last October 16 to 17, 2010. There were a total of 29 teams and we are fighting against 14 teams in the Novice Division.

We had one practice only, and after firing up everyone's excitement about our return in the paintball competition, I was able to convince other members to put up a second all Pinoy team whom we called as PSG Warriors. On the tournament day, we have two Filipino teams against 12 local Singaporean paintball groups.

It was a tough competition since the players in Singapore are now more mature and more experienced. It was different when we competed last 2008, the players are more hesitant and afraid. It was our team who can run and attack the opponent without fear of being peppered with paintballs. We were fast, fearless and we enjoy the pain of being hit. I think thats what make us unbeatable then that time.

For this competiton, I had difficulty in rallying my team mates for a fast offensive attack. We won the game mostly on defense position and move only when there are few opponents left. However, for almost two years of not playing, I thought it was still an exceptional performance for everyone.

The 2nd day ended with my team losing in the quarterfinals after winning 4 matches out of 6 games in the prelim games.. I bruised and wounded my right knee and elbow, in my effort to push the attack faster. But, we lack the speed of doing it, most of us are shot long before they can position ourselves.

However, it was a good feeling in bonding again with my former team mates in PSG Warfreakz. It has been quite long also that I have not played and even use my paintball gears. Anyway, the joy of playing again was priceless. And I can say Singaporean paintball teams have improved greatly in their play.

My Life Stories : Backsink in Macdonalds

2010-05-26T14:10:00.003+08:00

I had my first job as a CLOSER in McDonalds when I was 16 years old. I am about to finish my high school when I applied for the job, after my mother has told me that I wont be going to College because they cannot afford it. I was devastated, cause I have a complete belief in myself that finishing college was the only way I could have a good job. Months before I received my diploma, I was working already from night until early morning at McDonalds. As a closer, I am assigned on different areas during operation time and has to follow proper procedures in cleaning it up once we closed the store. Luckily, the store was just infront of our school. You can see it in the photo pasted on this blog. The store is located at Lim Ket Kai Mall, in Cagayan de Oro City. I still remember how our managers would drive us away in front of the store, because we are waiting for our friends to come out.

It was a tough job for a skinny 16 year old boy like me. However, even how tiring it was, I don't have any choice that time but to work, hoping that I can saved money just enough to enroll in college. During my high school graduation, I was damned proud because I was the one who paid the 5 burgers we ordered from Mcdonalds for my family. Yeah 5 burgers only, no drinks :-). I still can remember that the most difficult station is the backsink. It where you washed all the equipments during closing time, and prepare the stocks from the freezer. It was a health risk area, considering that you are sweating hard and have to come in and out of the negative temperature big room freezer. It was like going from Phillipines to North Pole every minute.

Luckily, even with my meager income I was able to sustain my 5 year college at the same time working as a Crew Chief in Mcdonalds. I did well in my job, I suppose. I work during 6pm night until 2am and went to school in the 8am in the morning until 5pm. After being recognized as Crew of The Month twice, Best in Grill, Best in Production Calling, etc etc etc. I was offered the managerial position.

After a sleepless nights, I have decided to turn it down and proceed in taking the Engineering Licensure Examination. For 5 years working there, I just cannot forget the time when my mother visited me during my first year as a Crew. She came on a bad timing, because I was assigned in the BACKSINK. She was surprised to see me dragging two sacks of rice from our warehouse across the road.

A skinny and skeletally thin 16 year old boy, sweating hard, dragging two sacks of rice was indeed a perfect scene for a telenovela in MMK. My mother just stood transfixed in her position and holding back her tears. I just smiled at her when I saw her.

And its just funny, because I just realized that during that time everyone in the crew called me Babes, because I was the youngest closer crew in the store. And after being recognized as the fastest in grill area, they called me Speedy Babe. It is a coincidence as everyone called me Speed now though I don't really know on which area I am fast here.

It was one difficult 5 years of my life, but I was still so grateful that it happened. It was one lesson that I have told every student I know. If you're just studying and only thinking of how to pass the exams, you are very lucky. You don't know how difficult it is to work and study at the same time.

To my readers: You might be surprised to see me again. I will be posting life stories this time since I am still trying to awaken my writing skills and passion. There might be grammatical errors that you may find but I will do my best to share my stories as clear as possible for you to understand.

Sunrise

2010-02-09T10:45:00.006+08:00

in the darkness...we waited.
your hand were soft as I held it deep into my arms.

amidst the blackness, your smile illuminates...
Your beauty emanates the joy, the laughter, the ecstasy and the passion into me.
Your just amazing my love....thy visage always puts my heart into fire.

As a sliver of sun's ray slowly emerge beneath the vast dark horizon into the orange hazy clouds.

You held my hand tighter..as you anticipate to see the amber light beyond that lilac sky.

Like a child in awe, you smiled and tearfully whispered " Thank you for being with me, I love you so much.."

I reached out to you and held you close. "Be still my love..the sun has rise. I will be here until the sun sets and rise again. I will be here always...and forever.

Fear of losing your job

2007-09-23T23:02:00.000+08:00

There was an announcement made by our management. Our global technical support department is being moved into India and all emails, calls and manpower support will be routed there. At first, I was so worried knowing that there is a big chance that I will be terminated from my position. There was a massive restructuring to realign the company's marketing objective and position.

Honestly, when it was announced, I was sleepless and worried. I just joined the company and has been with them for only 3 months. I was so worried that I have talked with my manager and asked him directly what would be my fate.

Yes, he was assuring and comforting, telling me that the company would never terminate me, since my position is very valuable to the company. Ahhhh, I was a little bit relieve, but still the fear of losing my job is still there.

Now the question is, why am I so afraid of losing my job? Do you feel the same way too? Being a breadwinner, I cannot afford to go home with an empty pocket. I fear not for myself but for my family back home.

For all OFW'S like me, we all feel the same way. There are many times that we have to take even the most dangerous job all because of the high salary were getting out of it. I remember the story of Reynaldo Cortez, the Filipino who was executed in Saudi Arabia because of murder which he commit against a Pakistani driver who tried to raped him. I myself was a witness on that kind of crime in Middle East against Filipino OFW's.

It is embarassing, but I was almost a victim during the time when I was working in the Middle East. If not for my colleagues who rush to the site, I dont know what could have happened to me.

As I have said, many of us put ourselves into danger just because of our aim in giving our families a good life back home. Everything we do is sacrifice. For our families and for our country as well.

In anyway, I feel lucky for having a job here in Singapore. From my point of view, this is the safest country where I can work without having fear of being a victim of heinous crime. The only thing I was a victim of this country is in the hawker, where I bought a drink and comes back to my table all cleaned up. My food was gone hehehehe...I havent finished yet huhuhuhu.

At the Top of the Star Apple(Kaimito) Tree

2007-09-04T21:06:00.000+08:00

I was too amused to notice that this blog of mine have been receiving several comments from Pinoy bloggers in Singapore and even in US. I was just overwhelmed to know that there are people around the net who spend their time reading and relating to my unendless sentiments.
Yes...i am sentimental. But I believe that sentimental people needs to connect and relate himself with everything around to really understand what it means to be sentimental. You observe, you imagine and you put yourself on a virtual world to fully comprehend.
When I was 10 year old kid, I used to climb at the top of kaimito(star apple) tree whenever I feel lonely. I stay there the whole afternoon and wait for the sunset behind the mountain just kilometers away from our small home in our barangay. It was a sight for me...Everyone thinks..that I am kind of a homosexual, for doing that. "Bading" as the local word for gay or homo. But it was a different feeling for me. From that kaimito(star apple) tree, I build my dreams of finishing college, having a degree, work abroad and earn for my family. And after all the sufferings I have experienced throughout my college days, I still remember the same promise I have made to myself at the top of that kaimito tree.
As I have said..being sentimental is not weakness, it is one way of having connection to ones feelings and surrounding. It is an inner contemplation that allows you to express yourself even if youre alone.
People who knows me personally may wonder, how come I sounded like this in my blog. I am jolly person outside and a smile is my trademark at work, at home, at play or even at sleep (crazy hehehe).
Anyway, thanks to everyone who keeps on reading my blog. Its been long that I have not updated this one, but I was so happy to learn that so many have offered their reactions even personally to me. Keep reading!!!

The flute band and the lonely woman in Orchard

2007-07-02T01:12:00.000+08:00

An ordinary sunday afternoon....same as the other sundays, nothing special for this week. The monotonous routine that we follow..work, play, rest, work. Head is buzzing with so much things...pressures that keeps on boiling over my head. Ahhh.....if only I can freeze time and let everything stop for awhile, so I can breathe and rest for a nick of time.

I was walking along the Orchard road....hoping to see something interesting, to relieve the boredom I feel within. Luckily, a band was performing. A road concert! A group called Quipukamak were performing infront of Takashimaya. They were a latin American band which uses several kinds of flute to play their music. Yes..I thought to myself, this one is good. So I found one corner bench and just sat down there listening to their music. Really, the sound of a flute is very comforting and lifting. It was like you are in the middle of a jungle.....hmmmmm....I got so emotional sometimes when listening to this kind of music. It simply touches my innermost feelings and provides some kind of an inner light from within, that you feel its warmth emanating.

I was so enchanted by their music, that I just got up and bought their CD. It was a magnificent music indeed. I never noticed that I already spent an hour listening to them play. I just remember the first time I arrive in Singapore. This is the same place I used to go.....just stayed here and listened to those performing bands in the sidestreet.

Another sunday has ended.......tomorrow is Monday again. The only thing that excites me is the thought that I am playing badminton this next saturday.

I am supposed to go home when, I noticed a woman in the corner who was staring at the ground. Her looks were empty, as if she was somewhere else. She was wearing a typical shirt and jeans, probably 30+ in age. I was thinking, she is a DH here since, I have never seen Filipina professionals spending their time in Orchard alone and staring at the ground. With their salary, they always have enough to spend for movies and outings.

Yeah, another homesick kababayan. By her looks, I can see she already had a family and probably was thinking about her children. Her empty and sad look, were painful to watch.....it was a sight of struggle and sacrifice.

If only their family can see the pain they feel everyday just to be able to send money back home..if only they can feel what she feels.....alas such life of an OFW......I could only imagine the feeling she is fighting now, just to keep her sanity intact.

I decided to go home..its getting late already.......another day have pass.....another day to embrace.

Pinoy Badminton Club of Singapore

2007-06-03T22:30:00.000+08:00

Last May 26, 2007 at Clementi Sports Hall, I was so astonished to see the huge turnout of the badminton players that arrived during that Saturday afternoon. It all started with a single post in the PinoySg.com forum, asking the moderator to dedicate a separate forum for badminton. Then everbody starts to support me and yes, the website granted our request. Well, then the rest is history......we initially started the Pinoy Badminton Club with 51 PLAYERS. I started a yahoo group and was able to registered 51 members. However, it was so fortunate that there were members in the group that is so committed and very enthusiastic about our objective.

Why I was so passionate on having a group like this?....Well my experience speaks itself. When I arrived here in Singapore, I was so homesick. It was like living daily in a deep water, I am always breathing heavily. The only thing I can think of to relieve what I am feeling is to play. I was a badminton fanatic, and the sport is the only way to make me feel better. And I understand how it feels...so this group will definitely cater to Pinoys who feel the same way.

pounded with fire

2007-05-15T01:34:00.000+08:00

Just transferred to a new company recently last 2 weeks. This is now my third week and my second time to do a night shift. I was only a week old in the company when my manager decided to put me on a night shift because the other engineer was on leave.

I was nervous because I have to answer calls from Europe and US on that shift since it is morning there on that time. I am armed with enough information on radio and networking information but with our radio, I still have much to learn. Well, anyway, I survived the 1 week night shift and was able to answer some calls, usually with a farewell quote " please email us so we can provide clear answers to you, sorry i am just new here" hehehe. See how profound, how smart are my answers.

Well, this is the loneliest night shift I have. I was the only person on the entire building gosh!, however guarded with surveillance cameras on every corner of the floor. Hah, well got to read and read....

However, I like this job more, I get to experiment and explore more on the technical side. I can research and learn from problems that we encounter everyday. Anyhow, I feel more engineer on this office than my previous job which makes me feel like a sales guy instead of a technical engineer.

Last Sunday, I was able to join a group of Filipino in their picnic in East Coast. It was a nice place, not really a breath taking view but what makes the place interesting was the number of people who are there for a picnic.

Biking and roller skates were the popular sports here. So if your a stunt kind of guy, this is the place definitely for exhibition. The group was full of fun, playing word games and eating at the same time. Topics were all about family, work, boredom and jokes.

It was a nice experience....with all the hustle and bustle on this metropolis mixed with homesickness, it is better that you share it with others who are feeling the same way. It makes your head refresh and relax.

Well, even after 1 year of work here, any time of the day even at 1 am, I still wake up homesick and lonely. But as they said, that is what makes you more stronger and wiser. Steel is pounded with fire before it forms to a perfect sculpture. We are steel and we are pounded with fire....if we resist, we can break into fragments, thats why we treat every pounding with softness and adjust on whatever direction fire wants it to be.....in that way we shaped our destiny on something unique, something magnificent...

such a sentimental of me.....hmmm....

Back to Micasa Hotel

2007-04-02T16:33:00.001+08:00

Last week, I was told to visit Micasa Hotel in Kuala Lumpur again, to resolve some technical issues. Well, this might be my last visit, considering that I will be transferring to another company by next month. I stayed on this hotel for 1 month and I was really homesick that time, considering that I was alone in implementing the project before.

I took the Grassland bus for Kuala Lumpur in Boon Lay Shopping Center. It was convenient since, the terminal is just in front of the HDB where I stayed. The bus took off by 9am in the morning and hurriedly I managed to grab a tuna sandwich and a Strait newspaper on the way. It was a long 5 hours travel, and it was 3pm already when I arrived in Micasa Hotel.

I paid 281Rinngits for a 1 night 2 days stay and was ushered to a Micasa Suite Room on the 6th Floor. The rooms was splendid, similar to the rooms I stayed before in Micasa. And yes of course, the delicious,sweet cookies and chocolate inside the green box, is delighting.

I stayed for 2 days and 1 night in trying to resolve the issue on the Micasa Wireless Hotspot. Then by morning afternoon, I took the Lok Box demo unit from Nasioncom in Midvalley Hotel and proceed to Puduraya Hotel Bus Terminal.

I took the Konsortium bus and I noticed that their magazine was promoting some tourist spots in Philippines. At last, after reading only about Thailand and Indonesia on their magazine, they have featured now Philippines. They are offering 288SGD for a package tours, whew! that is quite very cheap. I bet, you would be taking Cebu Pacific on your flight.

Loneliness ( a poem inspired by a sad look)

2007-03-26T23:44:00.001+08:00

by kristian

As the loneliness creeps my sanity

The pain that lingers in time

Held my breathe with strength

Gasping for air, I look on thee

Such a wide space...endless

Infinite and yet so empty

Heavy as a rock

but hollow as a dead oak tree

What is happiness?....

Is it the cool wind that rushes to thy face?

Is it the sweet song of a bird?

Is it the slow gush of water in a tiny creek?

Is it the noise of the green leaves of a palm tree?

Joy oh my ecstacy...

why such thy warmth so elusive from thee?

why such comfort far away from me?

why such radiance so difficult to see?

Answers that thy heart seeks

Is it in somewhere in the midst

Or is it just within me...

Sleeping in Lakeside

2007-03-11T13:24:00.000+08:00

It was such a very tiring Saturday, Badminton and biking at the same time. 10:30am in the morning and I pick up my bike and proceed to Bukit Gombak for a badminton. Played from 11am to 1 pm and 4pm to 5pm. I was so tired that I decided to go to Lakeside and sat down there for awhile, enjoying the breeze and the horizon in the lake. Hmmm after all..with all this activity, i still feel that in solitude there is comfort..

Just looking at the trees above me, and long before I knew I was already asleep. If not for the single leaf that fell down in my face, I would definitely spent my whole night there without even bothering that I was in a public park. Well this was my first time to feel asleep in a park, so i have to take a picture, although I am awake when it was taken hehehe.

It was 7pm when I woke up, so I hurriedly pick up my bike and proceed to go home. Such a tiring day, but still I dont understand why I feel so empty..hmm to much thinking.

Well, Lakeside has become my favorite place lately...just biking around and just sit down there in a bench..thinking.....about life what has brought me....

Biking around Lakeside Jurong

2007-01-28T23:00:00.000+08:00

It seems that I just got hook on a new addiction recently. After badminton, now this addiction which seems to me, is very expensive and costly for me. Well, it started when a bike was sold to me for only 100SGD, since the user doesnt want to bring it to their new condo..or he just don't have really the interest in using it. Well, 100SGD is 3,000 pesos already. But, I was told that 1 set would definitely cost 400SGD to 500SGD for an ordinary bike. Wow! so in Philippines this would cost 15k to 20k already. Hmmm, well I will not be ashamed if this fact seems surprising for me, really! I grew up where 500 pesos amount would make me scratch my head. Cheap for me is 100 pesos below not 1000, so I hope you would understand my amazement.

Well so much for my kuripot (in english thrifty hehehe) attitude. Today, I just decided to bike around Lakeside. It is near Boon Lay so I thought, if it rains then I still have enough time to go back to Boon Lay without getting so wet.

Hmmm..the place is beautiful. The government here really done a good job in preserving those old trees around the lake. Amenities such as childrens playground, exercise area, chairs, bench, and even cottages were present. A typical place which I love to stay and relax. This is one nice place for reminiscing old memories and letting the cool air soothes your soul while the melodic rhytmns of your mp3 player provides the nostalgic feel. Get it?

I noticed also that there were several lovers also in the area, enjoying the romantic moment along with the birds that provides the music beneath the serenity of the place. Hmmmm......so much for passion and feelings.

By 6pm, I decided to go back to my home. What a day, although I was alone as usual but visiting these kind of places is enough to refresh and unwind myself in preparation for tomorrow's work.

Dubai the Movie

2007-01-23T00:28:00.000+08:00

This was an old movie, was quite popular then but this is the first time that I watch it. Well, a typical story from the start, that touches on passion and emotion. However, what differentiates it from the other movies was for the fact that it tells a story of overseas Filipinos working in Dubai. I have worked before in Abu Dhabi, UAE, and you bet I can relate to what they are saying about hard work and perseverance.

I was touched on Aga's wedding speech which talks about a typical attitude of an overseas worker. The moment we had the chance to come home, we always felt embarassed if we dont have anything for a pasalubong or gift to our friends and family. We are placed on a pedestal and everyone looks up to us. We woked all day, struggling and going through the fangs of homesickness, just for the purpose of sending money to our loved ones back home.

Sometimes, we suffer silently.....holding down our voices and crying silently...unknown to all the people that look up to us back home.I can relate to the movie, not because of the love story, but the experiences of an OFW on all parts of the world. Our families were all smiles and pride about us, and to keep that, we hide our loneliness, as much as possible, we show them that everything is alright here in a foreign country.

But as the movie said, it was all about family that makes us works so hard....our love and our passion to make them smile is what makes us survive and work harder. Whenever I see some Filipino OFW's in a bar, drinking so much beer and laughing boisterously, I wouldnt believe that they are enjoying because they are out here away from their family. Look deeper into their eyes and ask them about their children, and there you will see the longing...the deep sadness beneath those loud laughter....

Hmmm the movie really touches me......maybe you would understand now why I drowned myself with so much sports...badminton, biking, basketball and even starcraft...well thats one reason.

On bike around Singapore

2007-01-22T06:14:00.000+08:00

Why extreme?....because I go biking straight for 2 days since last Saturday. What a weekend!. Last saturday, together with Alaba, my classmate during my college years decided to go biking from Boon Lay to Bukit Gombak. Actually, on that same day also, I have a scheduled badminton game in Bukit Gombak, so instead of taking the bus, we decided to go there on bike. With a map of Singapore at hand, we follow our way to Bukit Batok road, until we reach the MRT station. From there, we proceed to Bukit Gombak Sports Center to play badminton. After the game, we stop by Little Guillen, a man made lakeside park near Bukit Gombak MRT. Of course, with a borrowed Canon Ixus, we were able to take some pictures of ourselves. Then, we proceed to Hillview Avenue, the place where I used to live and back to Boon Lay during afternoon. A nice experience for my visitor lah!...

There were some nice view in the way, but my companion was too tired already, so we decided to go back home. Actually, I just started biking when I bought a mountain SRM bike from a my Indonesian housemate for SGD100 only. Hmmm..back home it would cost me maybe 10K plus for this kind of bike. It was a good bargain indeed.

I did visit some bike shops here to scout for some additional gears, hopefully to make me look more professional enough. And I was amazed and shocked at the same time on the prices of mountain bikes I have seen inside. Imagine, SGD5600 for the whole bike! It is almost 200K pesos already!. Back in Philippines, I can buy a car for that amount already.

I tried looking for some helmet around the diplay area, and you know how much it cost?...195SGD..What??? It is 6K pesos already for just one helmet! Arrgh, this sport is extremely expensive. I guess for now, I need to content myself with my existing gear.

Shall we dance?...

2007-01-13T23:51:00.000+08:00

I was alone in my home, well for information of everyone, i just moved from Bukit Batok Montrosa Condo to an HDB here in Boon Lay. The place was not really as good as before, but comfortable enough for me to live in. Well, I have spend my day in badminton court from 11am to 1 pm, then go home and by 5pm, I pick up my mountain bike and ride along the road going to Bukit Batok. I just cant remember the road going to the the place where I stayed before, I pass along the Jurong Canal, so I just ride there for a while and then proceed to Bukit Batok Road. Well, luckily I end up in Bukit Batok MRT but I have to go back since it was already 7pm in the evening. Hmmm, by evening I sat down on the sofa and play the Shall we dance DVD in the player. It was a nice and heartwarming movie. It was a story about a boring life of a lawyer, who have been searching for something to make himself happier. Hes not really desperate since he has his family and they were happy. I guess the right word is monotony, you know he has been doing the same thing for many years and he was looking for something to make his life much more interesting. And he found it in ballroom dancing, all because he was seeing this lady in a window of a dance school. That got his attention, so the story began.

Well, I come to my realization after watching the whole movie...it is more of a self esteem and pride. When you were young, have you ever had a dream of becoming someone?...like a rock star or a dancer?...Hmmm, I dream of becoming an engineer and I did become an engineer, but I have one wild dream hehehe. I want to be a singer, or maybe sing in a concert infront of the audience. Either solo or in a band, I love to perform honestly, are you shock?...hehehe that was my wild dream. I never had the opportunity of doing it during my college years, because life was so hard for me that time. Maybe if I had, I might end up singing in a band instead...I love singing actually but it is too late right?...well it was just a wild dream, I may love singing but Im not sure my voice would bring me good things...it is not that good except of course for my mother and my aunt who have always said I have the best voice in the world.

Well to describe my wildest dream which I know would always be just a dream...i am in the stage, everyone was there, waiting for me to sing...and the audience roar, chanting my name. The band starts with a drum roll, and there was silence. And the the band play my first song..This is the moment. See, hehehe just like Star in A Million. Each one of us has our wildest dream, to be a someone else or to be in a moment where we felt pride and happiness. But wild dreams are just dreams....it may or may not come true...
but perhaps I might try doing it, just to add some spice in my life..but where? hehehe better wake up now.

Tiring Week

2006-11-12T22:00:00.000+08:00

My last week activities, were quite stressful and tiring. I was just instructed to go to Malaysia for a maintenance call in Micasa Hotel. They were telling me that users only need to login once, and they can access the internet after without even the need for the login page to come up. It turn out that, it was just an issue of MAC learning, where the authentication gateway will bind the users MAC address to its username login, so everytime a user login, it will be remembered and login page will not be displayed.

We took the Konsortium bus for Kuala Lumpur in Golden Mile Tower and we paid 29 SGD for each ticket. It took us almost two hours just to reach Woodlands Checkpoint. And another almost 5 hours more to reach KL, because of heavy rain in the highway which causes a traffic gridlock. It was almost 3pm, when we check in at Micasa Hotel. I worked until 2 am in the morning just to simulate the login issue. I was also having problem on my Ovislin VPN box which is not functioning well. I was trying to setup a PPTP server in the VPN box, to allow remote access from the Internet. However, with the PPTP server running, i still cannot access our hotspot gateway in the private network.

Then on Friday, I was again instructed to pick up the Lok box from an ISP to deliver it to another ISP somewhere in Midvalley Hotel. I was able to transfer the Lok box to their office and was told that their technical director was so busy to see me. Then, by 5 pm our Project Consultant for Africa, called me and was asking why his PC was picked up from his desk without his permission. Well, I have to explain again to CEO that it was a temporary PC which was provided to that consultant, while waiting for his laptop.

It was a stressful day...and I feel so exhausted....and then my supervisor called me and telling me to work on technical proposal on weekends. Hmmm, they were not even concern that I worked until early morning. They are not paying overtime fees for all the holidays and extra hours I have worked before, and now they want me to work even on weekends. Grrrr....well thats the life of an overseas foreign worker....no choice.

Back to the Fountain

2006-10-08T23:41:00.001+08:00

It was weeks ago that I decided to visit again the place where I spent my time alone, on the first month that I arrived in Singapore. Our office before is located in Suntec City where in front is the Fountain of Wealth, the largest fountain in the world.

Being a freak I was, I find the moments emotional since I remember, this was the same place where I used to sit down, in front of the fountain until my eyes got so tired. It was the loneliest moment then as far as I can remember. For 30 days, I have no one to talk to in the office. I spend my whole week after office hours, sitting in these chairs.

Our office is now in Jurong East and this place is quite far. I was alone and trying to reminisce the nights where I just sat down here and listened to the music being played by the DJ, while watching the Lights Show display.

It was Friday evening.....and there were quite many spectators roaming around the fountain. I have written about this Fountain in my previous blogs, but I just want to post this again for sentimental reasons.Hmmmmm.....freakin emotional of me...i should have been a drama movie director instead.

As of this time, although I am still alone, I am having my MP3 player filled with alternative music to rock my ears. In this way, it will keep me smiling and rockin....

empty sentiments

2006-09-16T17:30:00.000+08:00

This blog has been a mixture of feelings and tecnical stuffs that sometimes I cannot identify what really is the purpose of this writings of mine. It was 7 pm in the evening, and I was walking below the Jurong MRT lane..it was dark already and I was watching the myriad of lights around Singapore. This was the same view for 5 months now ...the same lights..the same air..that I always encounter whenever I am going home from the office.

I am not sure that it is just maybe of my sensitiveness or is it just the feeling..that in a far country like this, you always feel alone...even if you find friends and people you meet everyday...there are times that you feel empty. I tried in going to places like Orchard just to kill time and relax..but I found nothing. The emptiness in me feels worst instead.

Is it the place or is it just me.....I have to admit that I am not used to of being alone back in Philippines..in the office even at home. I am always the lively one, the funny one, the noisy and sometimes the life of the group. But here, it seems being alone is part of being here....if you work hard, then you have to be alone....you have to focus....and forget being with the group.

But yeah.. I know being able to work here is a privilege...that many Filipinos like me have dreamed of. To be able to earn enough money which you can share with everyone back in Philippines. Being here..makes me a hero..a real hero not to the government, but to the eyes of my family and friends. Everyone is proud of you and will always mention your name on their conversation.

But have you tried asking yourself....are all your efforts being appreciated? what if time will come that you have to go home..no more job here. You go home, without a job.....then you find everyone expecting so much on you.

You have no choice but to repeat the same cycle again, find another job overseas and experience of being far away again or you will choose to start from scratch and stay in our country.So many questions I have in my mind..but yet answers may not be as clear as I expected them to be...

Hmmmm..as of now, I have to enjoy myself watching the rain.....if possible count every droplets that falls from the sky.

at instant in 3 hours

2006-09-12T21:34:00.000+08:00

I was so surprised when this afternoon 1 pm, when 4 men came inside my room with planks of wood. They said they will renovate the room and will put tables and cabinets. What? I ask, why today when I have so much work to do?...I was thinking it would take them the whole afternoon to finish it. And yet after 3 hours of banging around, this is what they have done to my corner...FROM THIS

TO THIS........IN 3 HOURS...This is our new system integration room, where I will stay for the next year to come.

Ok, for an opening, need to have a pose...hehehehehe. Did I fit in?...hehehehe looks smart though dumb at all times.

My test nook in Delta Network

2006-09-12T09:43:00.000+08:00

After Micasa Hotel, another prospective project in Malaysia is coming in. An this time it is a 3 building apartment with 25 stories each. Quite a big apartment, and I am not sure for how long will I stay in Malaysia for this one.

Anyway I am here in my office, facing my Intel Server,Compaq Presario and Dell Inspiron 630m laptop. There is no really many things to test here, unlike when your working in an ISP or a telecommunications company. I am spending my time, just exploring the features of this Lok box, which as of now I find discouraging. I have been in contact with their US tech engineers, but it seems that most of those who responded were not that really familiar with the box.

Well here I am..in my new test nook as I call it. Quite a private room, which I will share with a Russian CDMA engineer, Alex. He will be putting his Agilent CDMA test Analyzer in his table, and I will be putting my Data cabinet at my side too.

Next week, some contractors will be coming here to construct the tables and cabinets for this room, so I am expecting that this room would look more arranged.

nonsense sentiments

2006-09-10T07:39:00.000+08:00

For all the days...this is the path I always took when going to Jurong MRT. The MRT lanes above serves as the roof, especially when it rains.

Here I am... under the concrete Jurong MRT lanes. With the indifference of the place, the only friend I have to listen to was the MP3 player which I bought for 69 dollars in West Mall. In times like this...music is my ultimate retreat and comfort.

Yes...my adopted home in Singapore, which brought much comfort and memories in my entire stay.

The flat where I stayed with both of my Indonesian housemates Didi and Ari. The sala is facing the swimming pool, which makes it accomodating and convenient.

This is the view that will greet you whenever you get inside Montrosa...such a nice place, i can say....although there are times that I find the place so empty....so lonely.....

The Green Palm Tree

2006-09-09T15:08:00.000+08:00

After a long 3 weeks in Malaysia, i am just so happy to be back here in Singapore and go on with the normal and convenient life of being here. It was a nice morning.

And this is the first view I see, the moment i opened my eyes from my 7 hours deep slumber. A GREEN PALM TREE. The palm tree who greets every morning and wave her leaves as if telling me..wake up Kristian for the new morning is waiting for you.

So I got up and opened the window, then look up to the sky, complimenting the new morning with its beauty and admiring the sight with my friend..the Green Palm Tree.

With all the hassles and bustle of daily life...with all this gadgets mingling with our lifestyle, with all the friends hanging around you, with all the pain, pressure and hardships we have survived..sometimes the best friend we could have is someone who just show us how beautiful the world is...even she remains silent and would never speak to you..but by her simple sway..you truly feel then she is there..admiring you...looking at you and telling you..Be thankful because God Loves you so much.

Thats my true friend...the Green Palm Tree.She never speaks to me..but she has told me everything I need to know...

Thank God it is Saturday.......

Happy Birthday Kristian - self message

2006-08-28T08:45:00.000+08:00

There might be so many times that life has been hard for you....moments that has battered and whip you with pain and fatigue....but remember that you have survive it all....God as always has been good to you, through the years...

You might be unperfect and has done mistakes but it is bringing joy to your loved ones and striving to make them happy, what makes you important...

For once, stop thinking.....free up your mind..lighten your heart....release your worries,anxiety, self pity and negative mindedness to the air...keep smiling...

You might not be as 100 percent happy on this day of yours...but i know persons who love you were happy for you..that you have reached this number of years to love them....and care for them...And you know deep in your heart that they always pray that youll have more birthdays to come....

Happy Birthday Kristian....

alone at Micasa Hotel

2006-08-11T22:47:00.000+08:00

Until now I still can't believe myself that here I am staying in a 5 star all suite hotel...in a well furnished room complete with a big bathtub, TV, refrigerator , kitchen, small sala, and a soft white bed. Hehehe so much for being ignorant. But this is my first time to have stayed on this kind of a hotel. I will be spending my days and nights here alone for 3 weeks, until the wireless hotspot project is finished. The question is how did I manage to stay in this expensive room, with my company not complaining about the expense?Well, it is because this is free..hehehehe for the whole duration of the project.

As of now i have just finished the first phase of the wireless hotspot project. Together with my Malaysian cabling contractors, I was able to pressure them, to finish the whole building. Hmmm, I still remember on my first job, where I used to follow orders from a Malaysian supervisor...and now here I am giving orders to a number of Malaysian technicians. However, this people were really good in their field, to be honest compared with our cabling guys there in CDO. The UTP and power cables were placed and installed neatly in the ceiling. But what is interesting here is that, during my work with Dataworld, I was the one who climbs and crawl in the ceiling..but now I just stand and give orders for them to crawl in the ceiling. Hehehehehe, do you feel the wind now?.....sorry i am just very enthusiastic on this things, simply that i did not expect to have this kind of job here. But, honestly..with this kind of responsibility, i am also quite nervous of the outcome of this project. Once, this one fails, then goodbye to me.....Hopefully not.

Wifi at Micasa

2006-07-26T14:56:00.000+08:00

I am quite busy as of this moment, since i have been coming back and forth in Kuala Lumpur for 3 weeks now. Micasa Hotel is quite a challenging project for a wireless hotspot, considering that it has very thick walls, double layer doors and marble corridors. I have done several signal test, with all the access points placed in the lobby area, and the maximum signal I can get is 60 percent inside the room. Well, this value is quite enough for a stable internet access as long the signal is not intermittent. I have use Netstumbler and WirelessMon from Passmark in getting all the parameters and information I need. Hopefully, my management will approve my request for a license on Airmagnet Survey Pro, which I think is more powerful and accurate for a wireless site survey.

Fortunately, I have the freeware WireShark to help me in doing the packet analysis for the wifi packets transmitting between the AP's and my laptop.

The magnificent Batu Caves in Malaysia

2006-07-22T08:20:00.000+08:00

After a gruelling day of visiting the clients and discussing with our contractors for the Micasa Hotel Project, me and my sales manager decided to take an hours off by visiting the famous Hindu temple in Malaysia.

The Batu Caves are situated
thirteen kilometers (seven miles) north of the capital city Kuala Lumpur. They
are the sacred place for the Hindu's in Malaysia. They consist of three main caves and a number of smaller ones.
The caves are made of limestone and 400 meters long and
100 meter high. They were discovered in 1892. From your hotel in the Golden Triangle
you can reach the Batu Caves easily by taxi or public bus (11 and 11d). The
public busses can be boarded at the Pudu Raya Bus Terminal in Kuala Lumpur.

At your arrival you will be greeted by lots of monkeys. They are going for your
peanuts and banana's, which you can buy in several shop, before you climb
up to the caves. You have to climb 272 steps, which will lead you to the religious and
magnificent Batu Caves.

We took a taxi and pay 20 Rinngits for us to be there.When we arrive, my indian sales manager stop for a while and offer his prayers. Then we took the 272 steps leading to the main temple at the top. The temple is guarded by a giant statue of Hindu God Lord Murugan. Quite a sight really, especially the cathedral like cave inside. There are a number of Hindu stautues inside which represents Hindu God, while Indian priest prayed, giving blessings to Hindu devoteess coming for a visit.

By 5pm, we took the bus back to Kuala Lumpur and paid 2 Ringgits.

The power of Lok Box

2006-06-27T01:04:00.000+08:00

I attended a technical training for Lok Technology at the 3rd floor office of IDS in Creative Building. It was just infront the Strategy tower, so it is only a walk away from our office. The training location was on the Qualacom Datacenter conference room. It was conducted by Russ Grant, the technical consultant and a former technical manager of American Airlines.

The product was more of an all in one network appliance which covers all basic network services needed for an ISP operation. As they say it is like a ISP solution in a box. With one box you can have a bandwidth manager, firewall, intrusion detection, router, proxy server/web cache, billing server, RADIUS, etc. It is like a box of network goodies rolled into one. Imagine putting up an ISP with only 1 box in your rack. Of course, as a technical guy, we always ask about its performance. In a appliance like this, we always ask, in what service does it perform best? As a bandwidth manager and a firewall? As a proxy server and RADIUS? Or just as a billing server. But with altogether you run them all, then we ask about its limitation, reliability and mean time before failure. It is basically a new box, although its inventor Simon Lok a very popularly known scientist-genius, who was noted by his colleague as tech crazy, for using a 3D eye glass as his monitor, is quite long in the networking business already.

The training was quite informative, mostly discussing the features of the Lok Box. With all those features, i dont think 2 days is enough if we would like to discuss everything. But in summary, configuration is very simple. A GUI console accesible by a web browser and then you read click, read click. Hmmm, those CCNA fanatics will never like this box, typing commands on the console is quite cool than clicking on those window based console hehehehehe.

The training ended 2 pm, and I have go back to the office. Friday, i was told to visit CommunicAsia exhibits to source out some network solutions available in the market. Then, at friday afternoon, i was told to stay because Bangladesh visitors are coming, and i have to present Lok box. Then, night came, nobody came..of course it is the last day of CommunicAsia, those guys are already drunk and prancing around bars and clubs before going home to their country.

Well....we still have the Net to surf.........

kay bisaya man gud

2006-06-14T22:30:00.000+08:00

haay kakapoy ba aning kinabuhia, sa balay inenglis, sa opisina eninglis napod kay wala man ta kauban nga pinoy. wa na ako englis nahurot na, usahay lami kaayo magsinggita ug bisaya para makaistorya pod ko. Usahay tawn magistorya ko ako kaugalingon para lang makabisaya ko. Naa pod ko mga kadula ug badminton, puro pod tagalog, dili gihapon ko ka bisaya, haaaay kakapoy ba ani. Usahay matingala ko ani mga intsik diri, mga sapian man unta pero pirti kahilig ug mugbo nga sinena. Maorag ang mini o micro ba tawag ana, pirti kauso, pastilan kita tawn nga gikan sa layong syudad, mag cge na lang pangag-ho.Ho!!! Naa poy uban diri nga pirit kahilig ug high tech na apil bakos naa gadagan dagan nga LED nga suga. Pastilan magkatawa na lang ko ako ra usa, kulang ani nila antenna sa ulo para mahimong robot.

Sa tinood na lang gabidlion nako cge kaon aning pansit nga sabaw nila, dili nako kasabot sa pagkaon. Tungod tawon sa ako kaignorante, pa sosyal lagi order pod ko Korean food daw, pastilan pirti kahalang, lami kaayo isyagit ug tabang, ug lain pa ra ba diri kay ang drinks lahi ug palitan nga corner, pastilan pirti nang halanga, galuha na ako mata. Mao lagi na magbasa basa, unsaon nga inintsik man pod nakabutang didto unsaon nako pagkabalo nga halang tu.

Bilib pod ko diri kay ang bus didito ra jud mohunong sa bus stop. Ako nga ignorante lagi, pag abot sa bus doul sa ako gipuy-an puypuy dayon maorag pinas ba, tweeet tweew!! ayay dili amn diay pwede, gitan-aw ra tawn ko sa driver nga natingala. Hulat pa tawn ko pila ka minutos ayha nihunong ang bus didto sa sunod nga bus stop. Mao!!! baktas napod ko pabalik. Samot ta kaniwang ani diri.

Ganahan pod ko diri, kay uso ang sapyot! heheheh sa pilipinas maulaw ta inshirt kay wa lagi ta sampot, apan diri pastilan kadaghan ga insert, way mga sampot. So kita para sunod sa uso, inshirt pod ta, tutal daghan bitaw mi sapyot...hehehe lipay pod ko.

Naa pod ni mga indiyan diri, nga wala ko kasabot ngano pirti kabaho sa ilahang mga ilok. Moarag wala gani sila kaila unsa nang tawas, basta hapon na ting pamauli, pastilan maorag lami na kaayo dili moginhawa sa bus. Mo utong na lang ka pagayo, hangtod ka mga mo kaging para dili nimo masimhot ilaha ilok.

Pero ako lang pansin, pirti ka mga slim ani mga intsik diri, kargado man gud sila ug baktas. Uso kay baklay diri, mao na baklay lang pod ko. Dha tawn sa ato kada corner sakay, tapos hunong bisan asa, diri tawn kung imo opisina isa ka kilometro sa bus stop, wa ka choice baktas ka paingon didto. Gusto ka hatod didto, sakay ka taxi nga pirti kamahal. Plete sa bus 65 cents, sa taxi paglingkod nimo 2 dollars na. Sa ato 60 pesos na. So baktas na lang ta...para tipid.

Haay ok na, napagawas na nako ako bisaya.....diri na lang ko kutob.

My own corner in the office

2006-06-13T22:31:00.000+08:00

From Suntec City Tower One, we have transferred to International Business Park. The Strategy last Monday. I have spend my whole Sunday afternoon, putting all the PC of my colleagues in their respective cubicles. And I was happy since I was given my own cubicle and a table, not really a big one but having your own private corner to work is much better. The office was really big, wide and beautiful, with all the view of the garden around us. It is like working in the center of the park, where you see the plants, birds and the small fountain from your table. It was really nice, much better since the company's CEO has declared one big room at the side of the conference room as my IT laboratory and testing room. Hmmm at last, before in Philcom i have place myself in server room just to have a test area, and here they are giving me the whole room. Well, the problem as of now i still dont have nothing to test except for a lone win2000 server, 2 wireless access point, 1 small USB voip gateway and a lot of UTP cables. Well, the only difference is that i have my own laptop to use, a silver color with white plastic outline DELL Inspiron 630m, which makes it like a MAC notebook from afar. To make it more MAC-like i use the FlyakiteOSX to change the Windows theme. Hmmm, everybody in the office were asking me then, why i am using Mac.

Late this afternoon, i have spent my whole time trying to think ways how to crack the administrator password of the Win2000 server given to me. I ended asking the help from KLUG mailing list. While waiting for their response, i also made my own googling around the net, looking for the solution. Burn a CD with EBCD software, and boot it up. Reset the machine adminstrator password to none and reboot Win2k server to directory server restore mode and then go to registry and edit some keys as instructed by www.petri.co.il/forgot_administrator_password.htm

the badminton fever goes on

2006-06-10T19:08:00.000+08:00

I was invited by my indonesian room mate for a badminton tournament at Bukit Gumbah Sports hall this morning. Didi my Indonesian friend, decided that we walk in going to Sports Hall. The view in going there was quite beautiful and nice, especially the lake beside the road.Then at the sports hall, there were 6 Filipinos also waiting for us. They are SAP programmers/administrators working for HP, Levis, Creative Tech, Sony and Panasonic. I am with a software developers group and i am the only one who works with hardware. The badminton was good enough with the 3 Filipinos who are quite good and my Indonesian room mate Ari was also a good smasher. I was still adjusting to my brand new Yonex Carbonex 8000 racket at this moment..heheheh...in CDO, this racket was just a dream. However, i still want to have that 200SGD racket which cost 13K in Philippines...hopefully. Well, at least for now i am happy that i can play badminton now to ease my homesickness.

Whats in a name?....Kristian

2006-06-09T22:30:00.000+08:00

at last after 4 days and i am back in Singapore. We go by bus and only paid 30Ringgits for the one way trip. Actually, Malaysia is just a bridge away from Singapore. It was always raining hard in Kuala Lumpur, so we have to take a taxi cab wherever we go. People in Malaysia were generally a mixed race of Malay, Indian and Chinese. Since, we Filipinos has the same facial features with them, it always ends up that they talk to me in Malay language. Well, i just smiled and sheepishly telling them " No Malay, only English". But one thing that really suprises me when, i was asked by our Malaysian colleague by my name. I answered. "I am Kristian". "Ahhhh, he quips. "Your name is very familiar, you know Jericho?....Pangako Sa Yo? My God! i never realized that Jericho Rosales was so popular here that everyone knows her character name in that telenovela Pangako Sa Yo. They were smiling and telling me, how they watched everyday Pangako Sa Yo every night with their family. It was quite a surprising information for me, however it puts a little pride in my face for such recognition by one of our actors Jericho Rosales.

Well, also i remember last time when my Indonesian roommate told me how popular is Christian Bautista in Indonesia. At least, our fellow countrymen have brought pride to us through their talents. Perhaps, if i go to Indonesia soon, my name would still be very familiar...hopefully.

The amazing Petronas Twin Towers of Malaysia

2006-06-06T13:34:00.000+08:00

Wow!!! was all i can say....it was really quite amazing and a spectacular sight at night. It is a world landmark for Malaysia, and it is really beautiful, specially at night with all those lights. We are to meet that night a guy from an ISP based here in Malaysia, for a dinner meeting. So we walked around together with my colleague looking for a good place to eat. It was quite really amusing because my Indian friend is looking for spicy foods, while I am for the non spicy ones. Two different taste from two different worlds...At last, we meet the guy and his technical manager at Suria KLCC. It is a crescent shaped restaurant located at the foot of the Twin Tower. Really, as i was looking up the towers, i know i have only seen this in the Internet, but now here i am dining at its very foot...hmmmmm lucky me...perhaps.

We stayed at Micasa hotel, a 5 star all suite hotel in Kuala Lumpur. It is really a good place, and we paid about 200Ringgits per night for the accomodation. It was quite expensive really when you convert it into peso but in Singapore dollars, it is the cheapest yet high class suite already. The room is very wide with all the amenities inside, even a complimentary chocolate bars.It is one room that i have never sleep in before. In Manila, it would cost you 2000 for a night just to lay on that bed. Yeah, nice bed, nice room and nice place, but we have come here to work, so not really to enjoy the sights. Perhaps next month i have to come back here for a site survey on this hotel. We are currently talking with our partner here in Malaysia, to connect this whole place to the Internet wirelessly. So many foreigners are living here and you bet, Internet is one service that they would like to have.

TrainSignal CWNA Video

2006-06-04T23:21:00.000+08:00

I tried searching for Wireless reference with Bitlord and i found one torrent on Train Signal Wireless. It is one of the best training video i have watched so far when it comes to wireless. I have spend my whole afternoon watching the videos...I am quite alone today because my two Indonesian room mates were out watching the movie Xmen 3. The demonstration on Netstumbler, AirMagnet, Airdefense and Qcheck were quite very interesting. Also the demo on WEP and WPA cracking using the AirCrack tool. Well, i have to prepare my clothes for I have to be in Lavender MRT by 7 am. I can take a bus going Bukit Batok and has to spend 30 minutes in MRT I guess to arrive there. Malaysia is just very near Singapore and you can take a bus in going there. Well, gotta sleep now........

Malaysia Trip

2006-06-02T23:04:00.000+08:00

I was told by our Sales Manager that i have to prepare for a Malaysia trip this Monday. We will be meeting an ISP there who has a project in a 5 star hotel. The project is wifi hotspot for all the 290 rooms, 3 restaurants, 2 conference rooms and the whole building lobbies. We have to convince this ISP that we are the experts on this kind of thing...brrrrr and do you know who is the expert they were referring to?.....ME.

The letter send to them reads like this,..our wireless technical specialist will be coming also to discuss technical details on the project. I have done test on 10 different radios but hotspot as big like this..not yet. But, again...once technical always technical...It is just a matter of signal mapping, getting the location of access points, getting signal strength and plotting the signal into a diagram. AirMagnet surveyor is the expert on that, although it cost 2000 USD. So for this trip, i just have to use Netstumbler to get SNR, Signal Strength, Noise margin, etc.

Well, i dont have a digital camera, so no pictures for this Malaysia trip, but somehow i am quite sure i will be going back there for many times. Hopefully, we got this project so i have something to be busy about for the whole year.

Singapore Life

2006-05-30T23:25:00.000+08:00

I am quite amuse really last time when i was travelling on a bus, i notice i already consumed my 10 SingDollars in my Ezlink card. I only found out now that you have to swipe your card the moment you enter and leave the bus. I spent 1.55 SingDollars for every travel, when in fact I need to pay only 0.75cents. Ohh my gosh, it has been a week and I was only swiping my card whenever I enter only. That is one lesson for us who comes from a country where swiping cards were not really that popular. Here, in Singapore everything seems to be cashless, except for the food i think. On the Bus and MRT, you have to buy an EZlink card where you deposit a minimum of 10 SingDollars on it. Then you use this card whenever you travel by MRT or by bus. Actually, here you talk always about travel time, not travel distance. Really, it is so convenient in terms of transporation here. Now for a Filipino like me, it is really amazing to notice that this is one country with too many lanes, highways and roads and yet not a single soul of traffic police in the road. They do not need traffic police, because everybody was following traffic rules. Really i can say that this is one small island country which must be emulated by all other Asian countries. I wonder if Philippines can also do this?.....imagine such a small country yet very well known globally.

Right now, i am really trying to adjust on the food. Chinese food are quite good, but sometimes our taste buds is still adjusting. Indian food are quite spicy and I am not really a fan of spicy foods. Today, i spent my whole morning walking around the city and looking up in the map, to locate my office and the Ministry of Manpower. I just got my Employment Pass, and again I noticed their government employess were quite courteous and accomodating. You will just get Q ticket on the Q ticket machine. Wait for your number to be displayed on the LCD and then after minutes you will be served and voila finish. Also, in the Medical checkup, it took me almost 2 days when i was applying for Philcom, and here it only took me 20 minutes and everything finished from blood to physical check up. Hmmmm, mind you, even taking the blood pressure was automated.

Suntec City

2006-05-25T19:44:00.000+08:00

Our office is located at Suntec Tower One. The place they called as the Suntec City, consist of 5 towers constructed in a circle way around a very huge fountain (Fountain of Wealth) which according to Guinness World Record is the biggest fountain in the world. So that night, same ordinary boring night, I decided to sit down near that fountain and just wait until 10pm. It was a sight, when the fountain starts its Lights Show. There were 5 spotlights (I think…) pointed towards the very huge fountain, which creates amazing patterns on the flowing water. It was beautiful really but it only made my homesickness worst…well at least I can still control it. There were quite few Filipinos around this area or maybe I have not seen them yet. Lovers were sitting, cuddling and hugging around the fountain. Then I noticed that after the Lights show, the water stopped and people began encircling the center fountain 3 times. The center was like a Jacuzzi where it continuously gush water from its pipe. The announcer said, it was for good luck, and the people are touching the water from it. Hmmmmm, someday I will come down there, to do the same…..perhaps it will bring good luck and wealth to me also.

Lucky Plaza for Filipinos

2006-05-25T09:30:00.000+08:00

I was told to go to Lucky Plaza by my Singaporean boss. There he said where all Filipinos come and dine every Sunday. When I boarded a taxi, the driver smilingly said, haaa…you have a date, a girlfriend there? Ohhh, what does he mean? Of all the beautiful places here in Singapore, why he choose this place as good for dating? Then when I arrive there, yes I tell you a typical Pinoy hangout. In one word, the place is DIRTY! Plastics and cups were littered everywhere while Indians are roaming around looking on every Filipina that comes in their sight.

And, from the corner I saw two sexy Filipinas clad in a very tight suit, with arms clinging around on one old Indian standing there. Then on the last floor, one room there with all the lights was marked with Pinoy disco pub!!! Arrrggh! so this is the Filipino place here in Singapore. So, I know now, why the taxi driver was smiling when I told him, I am going to Lucky Plaza.

Sometimes it is disappointing to know, especially from an Indian colleague who told me that if I am looking for girls, you go to Lucky Plaza. What a shame….there are too many good Filipinas working here, but were smeared only by a few who are selling their bodies in Lucky Plaza. Then, last night my Indian colleague was so excited in telling me, how they drink in a club and Filipina girls were around them wearing very sexy attires, cuddling and touching them. And you know how much they cost? 500 Singaporean Dollars for a night! That is equivalent to 16,000 pesos already. So I told my Indian friend, that few Filipinas were like that, most of our ladies are shy, conservative and industrious. I am not really sure if he believes in me…but this is one image that contributes to the cause of raping cases of our Filipinas around the world.

Lucky Plaza was a 4 story building near the beautiful Nge Ann building, where a huge fountain was located. The building was located on the Orchard Road where most Filipinos live and relax on Sundays. I have not really explored every place around it since I have spent my day that time by just sitting near the fountain. It was one busy and beautiful place really. I was looking for other Filipinos who can share accommodation with me that time. But I never found any one to talk to, so I sit there the whole night, trying to control my loneliness…so hard to adjust as of now.

Singapore Here I come

2006-05-23T20:21:00.000+08:00

I arrived here in Singapore just last May 17, 2006 at exactly 6pm. Changi International Airport was one amazing clean airport here. Singapore from the airplane looks like a woven carpet. Trees and bushes were planted in an unbelievable straight line. This was my first day here, so I was a little bit nervous at the same time. Singaporeans are generally nice and smiling. Just like a typical Chinese. Also there are so many Indians living in Singapore. Then I was told to go to Waterloo Hostel 55 for my accommodation and there I was met with a huge room and the scenic view of the Singapore Arts and Museum and Bayview Hotel. It was a good sight, but really I was very lonely thinking of my family in the Philippines. The hotel was located on the Waterloo street crossing the Middle Road and Bencoleen Street. It was really quite a peaceful and silent evening for me, so is started strolling around the corner, to ease out my loneliness. I noticed a fashion show in Nanyang School of Arts Academy, so I stop and watch for a while. These Singaporeans were quite good on those dress designs. They were having foreigners as their ramp models. Then I gone into a Hindu temple near the Bencoleen street, where I sit for a while watching every people passes by. It was festive on that area but really I was still lonely, perhaps just trying to adjust on my environment.

Hopefully I can buy a digicam in the future so I can post some pictures here. As for now, I have so much to tell you, but I will take it up on next post.

Being wacky in IT

2006-05-07T20:02:00.000+08:00

Spending too much time in server room and watching these blinking lights, lcd monitors and green/red icons, makes you feel little bored sometimes. So its time to be wacky.

IT Room is hunted.....I see people..ugly people.

Spending quality time with servers...smile people for once!!

Muse of IT room..hehehhe not exactly from our department but a good friend of the group

Hmmm..let us relax dude, time for a snack.

Work all of you!!! or I will eat you!! har! har! Is that the manager?...

The original group...IT SYSOPS...

A journey to a new path (Singa)

2006-05-06T19:22:00.000+08:00

I just received a message from Delta Networks yesterday that my employment pass for Singapore has been approved in principle. It was good news and a mixture of happiness and sadness swirls in my heart that moment. Happy, because I will have the opportunity to work in a country which is known for its world class IT services and sad at the same time because i have to leave again. It was written in the Bold Letters "to work as a WIRELESS SOLUTIONS SPECIALIST". Well, well i do not know yet what faith prepares for me on this new journey. I heard i will be crossing Asian countries every now and then. Hmmm nice to hear, but as they said, gotta read and study the contract very well. When in doubt ask and negotiate. Salary is not really that high compared to a system administrator working there in Singapore, but i was hoping other benefits would come in aside from the basic salary. Well, hope that if crossing countries will be part of this job, then expect that i will be blogging it every now and then. Bye for now.

Damn print server....problem

2006-04-14T18:13:00.000+08:00

Its been so long ...and here i am blogging again. Been with too many things to think about that i forgot about blogging lately. Well, today is Holy Friday, and here i am facin this monitor and watching some CCNA tips from a LearnKey CD given to me by my friend from Globe Telecoms. Well. i just remember a week ago, i was there in Meter King Office tryin to make an old Infosmart printer server run in their network. The network was not that really complicated, but it was setup into 2 different networks, to protect the group of PC which access billing and inventory applications in windows 2000 SQL server. It was already 8 pm and I still this little white box is not running. I have to search for 5V/1A power adapter in Divisoria just to power up this thing. Well, it took me hours to find one 4.5V/1A, costing 500 pesos. I installed the Printer monitor software and let it run, and whoa!! and the HP printer was displayed but still the port status where it is connected is OFFLINE. Tried to directly connect the PC to it and still Port status is offline. I can detect the printer server, configure it, but the printer connected to it will not go online in the network. I have tested all ports but still the printer cannot be seen in the network. The printer config software uses NETBIOS to look for the printer server and the printer server communicates with other PC through IPX protocol. Already enabled IPX on all WinXP PC but the HP Printer is still offline. Then, at the last minute i decided to use ethereal to trace down what could be the possible problem. And there, it is....Printer server ARP and IPX broadcast is considered unknown by every Windows XP machine. Only a Windows 98 PC can identify the printer server, so it turns out that this box is of no use in a Windows XP network.Hmmm..too bad this old printer server is already obsolete and does not offer any firmware upgrade in its website. It was 9 pm when i left the place and goes straight to office for my graveyard shift.

Sun x2100 dual AMD Opteron server testing

2006-03-17T14:43:00.000+08:00

I have been playing with this new server from Sun Microsystems, which has a dual AMD Opteron processor. Quite a petite pizza box but with powerful specs. Start test with the installation of Suse Linux Enterprise 64bit 9, however it was a failure since it hangs up everytime it starts extracting packages. We tried to use Suse Linux Enterprise 9 32bit version and everything went fine and OK. Again, we reformat the hard disk and installed it with Suse 10 just to verify if it went well.

BURN IN
While installed with Suse 10. we did stress testing of its CPU, Memory and Hard Disk with an open source stress testing software. We emulate by forking 13 processes, each of which spins in a tight loop calculating the sqrt()
of a random number. A CLI command was provided to run such kind of load emulation. Then we installed a Windows Vista Beta version and run Prime95 to stress test again. Ater that we run CLIBENCH as a benchmark tool. The results was compared with another Intel Xeon Server. Quite a good test, at least we can identify possible values which can be used as references.

Right now, i am installing it again with Suse 10, and well try to install the Linux version of CLIBENCH which is GLIBENCH. Well try to compare if the results on a windows Vista OS if is the same with Suse 10 OS.

By the way SLES 9 64 bit installation failure was pointed to a Service Pack2 ompatibility with x2100 hardware. We have not tried it yet with SP2 since it is really a large file to download. Dataworld is already calling for the return of the said unit.

life so hard nowadays

2006-03-11T22:45:00.000+08:00

Quite out of topic but my I am just not feeling good writing about my chronicles on IT stuff....perhaps I would have to change the title of this blog from chronicles to outpours as suggested by one of my colleagues in Customer Traffic Services. Utilities such as CEPALCO, Water District, even Philcom began adding the 2 percent RVAT on all bills. Recently, last week CEPALCO informed us about the 3 percent additonal on our bill since the 3 percent Prompt Pay Discount was cancelled by TRANSCO to all electric utilities. Make it all in all 5 percent increase in our electric bill. What used to be a 700 /month electric bill increases now to 1000 / month. Then the 200 /month water bill increases up to 400 / month. Huh!!! on the same usage, I got this additional expenses. For the past months now, we are really going on rough times as we pratically trying to budget my salary. Hmmm....quite really hard today....and the only thing i can think of is going abroad....perhaps that can solve my problem.

On rough times like this, a juicy fruit gum or any mentos candy will not really make you feel fine. Then, when you open your TV set, there you will see this no nonsense politicians rallying in the streets fighting for the masses and so called 'mahihirap". Ahhhhg...i want to shout and kick this bullshit people in their butts oooppps i am swearing already..This people make our situation worst instead, when in fact everybody knows that this politicians are just doing it because they have plans to run for a higher position next election. I am not really a PRO GMA but at least we have a working president instead of ERAP who spend his night drinking with his celebrity buddies and going to casino playing cards. I know that this RVAT is really a burden to all of us, but somehow it has reasons why it must exist and what it can contribute to help our country. Havent you notive that the those so called oppositions are the same politicians who are with GMA before. By the way, my onw list of my most hated TRAPOS has PIMENTEL and GUINGONA as the top 2 contenders, considering these old useless politicians are from Mindanao. I hope they shut up and just retire to their own provinces, instead of displaying themselves in the media posing as democratic fighters when in fact they are just a bunch of old traditional politicians.

The Russian wins.....Israel loses....

2006-03-04T21:18:00.000+08:00

Hehehehe, it sounds like I am playing the strategic war game and in an ecstatic voice i would shout YES, RUSSIAN WINS....But nope it is not a game, but is the Wifi Radios that have battled for supremacy in our wireless world. Hopefully, with its CLI kind of console, our friends in the field will not have a hard time configuring it....Infinet Wireless after a thorough test and evaluation proved to be dominant in all levels against Alvarion..

Hmmmm overtime again

2006-02-28T15:18:00.000+08:00

My shift for thsi week is from 10pm to 6am in the morning on next day...thas why im a little bit groggy when my boss called me to come to the office today to accompany our Russian friend from Infinet Wireless to install their Non Line of Sight Wireless Router. This wireless router is also one of the cool wifi gadgets available in the market. Although, configuration is mostly done on CLI but it is compatible to any third party web console, if you would like to develop your own. Gotta prepare....i wonder where are we going....is it to Villanueva or Claveria?

Zyxel P660R traffic test is finished....

2006-02-28T00:37:00.000+08:00

After more than 48 hours, at last i finished the stress test for Zyxel P660R Modem. I have checked its parameters including CRC errors or any malformed packets that occur during the traffic flood test. Well, its all clear, with only 9 CRC errors which is negligible in compare to the number of bytes it received for almost 3 days. Looks like this traffic generator i got frm the net is quite useful after all. Hopefully, I will found a free tool that is able to simulate VoIP traffic, so it would be more easier for us to analyze VoIP problems.

As of now i am trying to simulate a setup where each subscriber aside from Internet connection, will have a VoIP access. Some kind of a VoIP on DSL thing. Well, the idea is to create a separate PVC on every DSLAM port allocated for VoIP and allow some settings on QoS. I have not started it yet, but hopefully soon.

Proxim 5054R Wireless Router Final Test

2006-02-23T18:20:00.000+08:00

Just wrap up the final test procedure i have with Proxim 5054R Subscriber Unit and its Base Station Unit. I was concentrating on the QoS feature which was added recently as a new feature in their new firmware. Tried to hook up two VoIP gateways on SU and BSU and observe voice quality while calling the other number. Fortunately, my colleague "mole" have prepared already the connection to the softswitch, so i just change the IP address of SU and BSU to be able to register and pick up a dial tone. Proxim has too much to offer in this new firmware. You can configure 64 logical channels to carry specific traffic and identify each prioritization by using service flows and packet identification rules. Well, it is definetely cool to see those bandwidth management-like feature in a wireless radio. Considering, that nowadays, traffic does not concern only on data, but voice and video as well. Tried to add 2 new PIR(packet identification rules) for upstream and downstream traffic, specifically for g729 codec voice traffic. Also tried to set ToS marking 7 as high priority to allow Real Time Traffic be first in the queue whenever it is detected. Then i also make sure that on the PIR the destination IP and Source IP is defined to make sure that the vocie traffic from both gateways will be detected as high priority.

Then, with dial tone coming on both phones, i dial the other access number and make a voice call. While the voice traffic is streaming, I observe the actual bandwidth allocated for Best Effort traffic. I notice that when I speak loudly, bytes per second for BE traffic goes down to 0. Ahhh...QoS is really working, BE is allocated with 128 kbps and VoIP is also allocated with 128kbps CIR/MIR. Since, VoIP has the higher priority, so all the available bandwidth is used by VoIP leaving BE traffic with nothing. Ahaa!! i guess my friends in Dataworld would be glad to know that their QoS works after all on their beloved Proxim....Hmmm what the use of my being Proxim Certified Broadband Specialist if i cannot make it work hahahahaha too much wind gushing here...well thanks for reading to those who are hardware techie out there....

New soft tools to use....

2006-02-18T15:25:00.000+08:00

Been spending my time scouring the world wide web looking for a PC benchamrking tools to use. Have downloaded one but it is just a demo, and has very limited features. However, there is a freeware called Prime95 which has a torture test to check your memory and CPU stability which I use to check new PC arriving. But, i was reading my emails, when this techie guy shares his favorite freeware sites which contains pirated software and utilities. Well, it is definitely cool and at last i have found one complete PC bencmarking tool to download. The software is 3DMARK05.

Also i luckily found one good traffic generator in the net, which i am using now in doing torture test to several routers, switches, and wifi radio here in the table. Try searching it in Google..the name is traffic-0.1.3. This will answer your questions such as "will my router fall apart if there are 100 tcp/udp sessions running through it?...or will my wifi radio crash apart if there are 100 clients bomabrding it with udp packets?...Hmmmm i think this one tool will definitely solve some of our network problems outside...maybe?

Yahoo PC to Phone global service

2006-02-17T08:12:00.000+08:00

Hey guys, check this out. For as low as 0.130US cents you can call Manila landlines from your yahoo messenger. Other countries also charges as low as 1US cent to call landlines or mobile phones. For Manila, it is worth 6 pesos only per minute to call anyone direct from your yahoo messenger without bothering to dial operator assisted hotlines. Aside from the free PC to PC calls, this offer might be one good alternative when trying to call relatives abroad.
For yahoo global rates check this link.

For insructions on how to call, check this link

Proxim MP11 Ruggedized Wifi testing

2006-02-17T07:41:00.000+08:00

Just opened a box which contains the Proxim Radios ruggedized type sent by Dataworld. I was informed that this new Proxim radio has upgraded itself to a new software revision which allows QoS features to be configured, specifically for Voice applications. I am just having trouble looking for the other laptop since it was borrowed to test an IP VPN box of Engineering. Quite a good looking radio, which comes with a 17 dbi sectoral and 18 dbi Panel Antenna. I had my first glimpse of its software and it looks ok specially the QoS flavors stuffed inside. For readers, QoS means quality of service. Basically it means, prioritization of traffic in a data network. It allows you to identify what traffic, from which traffic or from whose traffic you would like to prioritize in a data link. Usually we need this for RTP(Real Time Protocol) traffic which comprised mostly of voice or video. Voice traffic for one is a latency(delay measured in milliseconds) sensitive data, which requires that both sender and receiver synschronized for quality voice communication.So in a data link, we usually employ QoS on both ends to be sure that Voice packets are streaming with no problems.

Tried to power up both radio and access both consoles on Subscriber Unit and the Base Station, yet both cannot connect to each other. Check config and notice that both were configured to maximum 36mbps speed which has actual throughput of 20 to 24mbps. Since the antenna were just a feet away, i thought it might be affected by too much reflection signal on both walls, which produce multipath fading. Sometime those reflected signals create some kind of a negative resultant to other signals which cancels the legitimate ones transmitted in a proper angle (ok?)With 5ms latency on both SU and BS, i degraded the data rate to 1024kbps and provide values for antenna gain. Reboot and well, it is now connected....good work. Well i just have to check this QoS by doing VoIP test which requires VoIP gateways and telephone to determine voice quality.

I feel this wireless thing..is too much for me now. Just want to learn something new like Linux,Ruby or those PHP stuffs. For a 3 months now, i have been handling too many brands of radio that i hardly remember anythin on how did i configure it to run(hehehe) looks like the radiation have toasted my brain already.

Airspan Wimax is on air

2006-02-05T11:52:00.000+08:00

at last, the Airspan AS4030 Wimax radio is now connected. With the help from our friends in the transmission department, the radio is now online with a maximum bandwidth of 5mbps. What we have to worry later is, the configuration of the E1 channels. With an RSSI of -71dbm, i guess is enough to established a good link. That was a good day, perhaps i can say i was the first to see and configure a Wimax Radio here in Cagayan de Oro, perhaps?....hehehe other telco are testing this too. I still have here another Wimax Radio which looks like those Nokia and Erricson boxes i have seen on Cell sites when i was working as a rigger/installer for Globe Telecoms before. (ummm..that was my first job)

I receive a DHL Package......DSL CD Manual

2006-01-30T14:51:00.000+08:00

I was surprised when i arrived this morning in our office when the guard informed me about a DHL package from Manila. Haaa!! i thought it was a gift but then it was a CD. At last i got the DSL Training CD from one of our suppliers in Manila. Gotta open this one and check the training manual inside...

Hmm, and by the way i am still having problems on this VLAN test of our DSLAM and this new switch. I was assigned a test scenario in which i have been workin on for a week now, but still no success in getting what I wanted. Tagged and Untagged packets seems to be my word nemesis for this day and i am still trying to understand how this will work. I have been reading info on VLAN but putting it in combination with ATM technology which includes Virtual Channels seems to be a little bit challenging and complicated. We have been succesful in creating a simple VLAN stuff, but we have a scenario in which we would like to implement in our network. Hopefully i will have the full report by next week. I have seen boxes of Nortel WLAN-Mesh radios outside the lobby and i was thinking perhaps those are coming to our test room for a visit. Still have 2 Wimax Box here and i havent started testing it yet.....With all this testing, i dont know if i can still have time learning this Linux and Ruby thing which i feel is really an important skill for me.

Ok gotta go.....

PAY IT FORWARD NOT BACK....

2006-01-29T18:40:00.000+08:00

Last night i arrived home late after I accompanied some engineers from Manila who were helping us in configuring and installing the call center solutions for Ariba. We ate our dinner at SunBurst which was just a wall away from the Ariba Call Center. The food was delicious especially the "kinilaw" and the chicken crackers which was made from chicken skin. That night, i was very tired and would want to lie down immediately and sleep like a cow throughout the night. However, I thought of turning the TV on first to check on News Central for any current events of the day. My attention was caught by a movie from Studio 23 Presents which is entitled "PAY IT FORWARD". I was curios, what the hell it means? paying forward ...? or is it the right word was to pay back or maybe it was just one of those jargon used by movie writers. So i decided to watch even if my eyes were really really tired already.

The movie was about a 7th grade boy who was inspired by the assignment given to them by their scarface teacher. The assignment was to think of something that could change the world and put it into action. The one with the best idea will have extra credits for the whole year. So as inspired he formulated the idea of creating a chain like reaction of giving favors to people. The idea was to help or do some favors for 3 persons and each person will do the same to another 3 persons thus it is called paying it forward. The boy started it with a homeless man, his mother and his teacher who give the assignment. Days came and the boy give up because he thought that the favors he gives to the 3 persons were not paid forward. But unknown to him, his mother, the homeless man and his teacher have done their share in paying it forward to another 3 persons. Until it grows and grows and have reached the city, when it was noticed by a young journalist. The movement was then called as the Pay it Forward Movement. So the boy was traced and became instant celebrity for the idea he has started. When asked why did he do it, he answered that everything sucks so he likes to see if the world really change. However the story ended tragically when the boy on the day he was interviewed was stabbed to death by a gangster because of his effort to help the young boy who was beaten by them.

For an hour my eyes were glued to the screen and feeling the compassion that emanates from the movie. The movie ends with all the people from all over the city coming to their small home bringing flowers and candles to pay homage to their son. It was a good movie, something that reminds us that sometimes giving favors to others doesnt always means we have to ask to be paid back. It is one trait that we Filipinos genereally dont have. Because of "utang na loob", we always ask something in return for every favor we give to others in need. We have breed corruption and dishonesty because of our goal to pay back the persons who have helped us.

Imagine if we do this Paying it forward thing....then every one will be helping more people than we ever could imagine. It would be a global revolution, more profitable than Pyramiding scam we have before. PAYING IT FORWARD is one thing that must be part of our Filipino culture instead of that "UTANG NA LOOB" thing. Do you agree with me?......

Alone in a 4 corner room

2006-01-19T00:35:00.000+08:00

Just last sunday, we have started our 24 hours operation for IT-Systems and Operations. Today is wednesday and i will be coming in at 10pm and going out 6 am in the morning. I am used to working 24 hours before but this was my first time to be working alone. It was very quiet so i decided to play my favorite music from my favorite band MYMP. I got a copy of their 3 albums in my hard disk, including the Live Performance they have in Music Museum. Since my table is located in the server room, so the song reverberated in every corner of our DataCenter. MYMP sounds too good, and every song carries a memory within me. Haaaah...sentimental na naman..I was continuing the wireless test, and was reading the Linux e books in my hard disk, while listening to MYMP songs.

I have prepared myself for the very cold temperature inside so i have brought with me my Zenshin jacket (luckily i was given one, the only jacket i have right now). I have also a pack of Milo and a glass of water to make me busy while reading this e books. Too bad i dont have a spoon, so i have to borrow one from the Traffic which is in another room. Well, my objective tonight is to read this Linux stuff here so i can start my Linux learning process...but it seems my eyes are beginning to give in. Nope, i have to finish this modems here....

badminton challenge anyone??

2006-01-15T12:33:00.000+08:00

Just enjoy a lot the badminton game we have yesterday at Sports Zone. Last Saturday, i got this challenge from a friend of mine Edgardo from Manila Teachers MIS Department. The invitation was of a mixed doubles match against him and his girlfriend May2 from XU faculty. A bet of a free snack and the 1 hour badminton court rent is at stake. Hmmmm, confident enough since i have been playing straight for 2 months now due to our company wellness program which include badminton heheheh I obliged and accepted the challenge. My partner was my officemate Engr. Judith from Network Management Center, who is also a badminton addict. We had 3 sets and luckily inspite of the cocky serve by Ed, we were able to win 2-0 after n hour of game. It was fun and hopefully we will have another invitation for the same bet. Hehhehehe I enjoyed the barbecue at Butchers Best after the game, since it was free, fruits from the game we won. I am expecting a rematch then afterwards.

I am so tired today.....blah blah

2006-01-11T07:21:00.000+08:00

It was already 12 midnight when i arrived at home. I was working at Meter King office on their semi structured cabling for their Local Area Network. I was having a hard time placing the surface box since there are cubicles already installed. It was my 2nd day there, the first day was spent on laying all the UTP cables in the ceiling and putting the plastic moulding on every corner. Last night, was putting the surface box and information outlet. Too good the AMP brand surface box needs only to be clipped instead of punching it down. It makes the termination much easier compared to punching it down. I was so tired then, because i was in the morning shift which means i come in at 6 am. I have to wake up 5 am and have to work until 2 pm, then straight to Meter King until 12 midnight and have to wake up again 5 am this morning. Aaaah, no wonder I am always thin.....Sometimes, i used to smile and laugh whenever people will tell me how thin i am, how rugged i look that day but deeply inside, i am ashame also. I am always thinking of things, it seems my mind is always full of problems, worries, plans, lessons to learned, people i love etc....i think too much and it drains my energy all the time. I am always restless on everything....on everything i do, i always want more for it, to make the people around me happy. Yeahhh too much thinking.....and feelings.. thats what makes me thin perhaps.

Well, today i have to finish my assigned task. I am late again bacause i was too tired to get up. I have to finish the Alvarion wireless test and the DSL Configuration guide for field engineers. One thing, i always wanted to do now is to study and practice this Linux stuff inside in one of my PC here. I dont seem have enough time...too many things to test first. Yeah i remember, one of my ex colleagues in Dataworld will be celebrating her birthday this January 15. Ms Emelyn , a good friend and a efficient co worker during my technical seminar stints and presentations last year. I was their Netwoking Specialist then. I am not hearing invitations yet....perhaps a free meal.Birthdays are good , it is one way of reminding us how short time is every year for us. So celebrate, in any way......shout, eat, smile, sing, dance.

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Firefox Extension : Performancing

2006-01-10T14:57:00.000+08:00

I am so glad about this firefox extension tip, i got from the famous site tildemark.com. Surely, it makes my blogging easy and fast. I am so glad tildemark is fun of those tips, heheheh i know bai, youll be tying the knot of commitment this January 21, so one advice i can give is be gentle at first and be cool always. Congrats bai!!!!

ADSL modem with built in Broadband Router, Firewall, Bandwidth Manager, VPN and Content Filter

2006-01-07T08:52:00.000+08:00

Good day guys, just received another DSL modem with more features that is stuffed inside. Check this out dude Zyxel Prestige 650H-31. Its one bulky black box with a blue slash-like face and a number of LED's blinking like christmas lights. Its Media Bandwith Management is quite cool, since you can allocate bandwidth on each interface according to IP or port. With VoIP and Online Games so popular nowadays, this box might solve the usual latency problem which is critical to these kind of services. Subscribe a 2mb bandwidth and allocate bandwidth usage according to your services might improve customer satisfaction in your internet cafe or office. From 2mb, you might allocate 1mb for online games, 512kbps for internet surfing, 128kbps for VoIP, 256kbps for FTP and 128kbps for P2P. In this way, no service will use more than the bandwidth allocated to it, which means 100% service guarantee and congestion free. Also its VPN and Firewall feature is other good additional goodies inside.

Content Filtering is done with URL keywords and you can set it on schedule. For example, you can block adult sites from Monday to Friday 10am to 6 pm and allow access to it from 7pm to 12pm. This is good especially if there are kids surfing around during day time.

Bandwidth management can be set with priority according to IP address or port and protocol ID. A group of PC can be identified as for Online Games or you can set a specific port (e.g. PORT 21 FTP) to be prioritize on your bandwidth other than all services.

The box is quite good, however i am experiencing intermittent connection whenever i am using the PPPoE. Tried to test it using a Static IP and observe it for the whole day.

Mercury Drugstore slow service

2006-01-07T02:54:00.000+08:00

I am not really that demanding person and i am quite good in extending my patience especially if i am in a service oriented area such as restaurant, drugstore, etc. However, whenever i was asked to buy medicine, i always notice the difference between these two most popular drugstore for me, here in Cagayan de Oro City. Mercury Drug Store and Rose Pharmacy. Sometimes, slow service can be attributed to employee instead of the whole management of the said drug stores. The same experience you might notice when shopping in Ororama against SM.

One time i bought Clusivol in Mercury Lim Ket Kai Mall. Since i was in a hurry all the time, i took the liberty of writing the word Clusivol in a paper so i would just give it to them and they can prepare it right away. There was a long line infront, too many people waiting to be served. While those staff inside are moving very normally, you cannot even see a slight hint that they are in a hurry. So i decided to go to Divisoria Mecury, perhaps the person there are much faster than here in Lim Ket Kai. And again the same stiff attitude are being exhibit there while people waited for their drugs to be served. Why are they like that? One man said, they move slowly because they are professionals. They are college graduates, so you have to wait for them to serve you. So, that was the reason, they are not "tindera or saleslady" so you cannot expect them to be fast in serving you. They are pharmacist, so you have to wait!...I transferred to Rose Pharmacy and i was served immediately. The next day, i observed Rose Pharmacy and yes, when there are too many people buying, they ran and hustle up. Is it because most of them are college levels only and not professionals? or it is just the way they work. Hmmm, im not really sure why but i guess when buying a drug i will buy it in Rose Pharmacy or other drug stores other than Mercury especially if i am in a hurry.

When i was in college i have worked with Mcdonalds Lim Ket Kai for 5 years and one lesson i learned is that when satisfying a customer, you must be accurate and fast. And until today, accurate and fast are the words i keep remembering when working on something. Mercury Drug Store may boast itself of accuracy becasue their staff are college grads but still they are not able to pass the customer satisfaction mark.

MultiModule xDSL Tester

2005-12-30T08:20:00.000+08:00

Just received recently a new toy for my test nook playplace yesterday. And this time it is the Sunset XDSL tester version 1. Its quite a good gadget with a rugged and dark look. It has separate modules for different test platforms which makes it flexible. I remember the test tool I used before when i was working with Alcatel Abu Dhabi, the Wavetek. Its one hell of a test unit, so rugged and compact yet filled with so much features and capabilities in a testing environment.

Well got to play with this one, my Boss were expecting a report in a week. Its quite one good toy, i think. This will save us time in analyzing and isolating field problems. Ill give you my feedback regarding this unit next year. So just keep in touch and keep visiting me for updates on new gadgets and equipments i play with everyday.

Kristian's Test Nook

2005-12-21T13:12:00.000+08:00

Just spend my whole day, packing up the wireless radio i tested for a week. These are to be brought back to their respective suppliers next week. Hmmm, but still my table is as topsy turvy as yesterday...test table as they said. Just played with a Veo Wireless Observer and a Protech broadband router a minute ago. And the Wireless IP Camera is definitely cool! You can remotely control its movement through the Internet or on a LAN. Tried to put it in the cafeteria and shoot some pictures of ladies heheheh eating there, while i am inside the server room. Also, played with it by shooting pictures on my little nook here in the office.

These are my console stations, a 512MB DDR,80GB SATA, 64MB GeForce, Pentium 4 2.8Ghz CPU and 17" Silver Black Monitor courtesy of Dataworld. And an old ECS laptop which i borrowed from my Boss. Another HP Brio is hidden below the table also for testing.

These are the recent toys I played with. A level one VPN/Broadband Routers, Zyxel Prestige modems, Airspan AP and SU IDU,BATM Telco gateways and Welltech FXO. Hopefully there are more to come, so ill enjoy more playing here in my little test nook.

For a view, this is my nook, at the right side of the server room. Not really a good place but the reason i was here coz the wireless radio are at the rooftop. And the cables are in the right side window.

You may notice the modems hanging in the picture..those were my christmas decorations. Hehehehe it blinks like christmas lights especially when the server room lights were turn off. And those cables are my christmas tree.....

Hardware Review: Level One FBR-1417TX

2005-12-15T10:54:00.000+08:00

Home or small office VPN anyone????...before i will try to discuss these new box i have here in the table, you might want to check its key features first.

Key features:

* Integrates with 4 ports Fast Ethernet switch: 10/100Mbps MDI/MDIX auto-sensing
* Provides 10/100Mps WAN interface to connect with DSL or cable modem for broadband Internet access
* Built-in one parallel port and one USB port for printer connection
* Browser-based interface configuration and management: OS independent, easy-to-use for consumer install
* Supports VPN server of IPSec, L2TP and PPTP
* Built-in NAT function: allow multiple PCs and devices to share one Internet connection
* Printer server supports Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP, Macintosh and Unix operation system
* Easy to upgrade: using Web or windows utility to upgrade firmware

Two new box was given to me for VPN test and configuration. Tried to read the manual though..even my colleagues kept saying its very easy. Its best to understand every word in it although we knew the procedure to make it run. Basically, my standard test setup consist of a Zyxel DSLAM connected to the Internet, two DSL CPE representing 2 different subscribers, a laptop and a PC.

VPN Features
Site to Site VPN
Yes its cool, its site to site VPN is very easy to configure, however it's NAT is by default disabled. It took me a day looking for a procedure how to enable it. Their email support is not that really helpful too. I upgrade its firmware, hoping to see the NAT option displayed in the menu. It turn out that the NAT option can only be seen when the WAN side is configured with a Static or Dynamic IP. Since i set it in a PPPoE, NAT option is not displayed. No wonder, our field technicians are having problems.

Built in VPN Server
Tested it and its ok, however number of remote clients who can connect is limited only to 5. But for a 5 branch office, this box is definitely a cheaper and effective alternative. Its PPTP and L2TP are good.

FIREWALL
Block sites according to domain and URL. Filter traffic according to port and IP Address. Well, whats cool is the schedule rule, which allows you to set specific time where you can run a specific rule. For example, internet browsing time is only 6pm to 7pm. Then port 80 will be blocked for the whole day and will be open only every 6pm to 7pm. Hmmm, a good one for staff who exploit their VPN connections with downloading of x rated files in the Net.

Have been tinkering with this gadget for a day now....better move on to the next one. Bye dude.

By the way, it is also a built in Printer Server. Printng a document from a PC in Davao to a printer in Cagayan de Oro through VPN is definitely cool huh!

Gearing up for our Christmas Party

2005-12-13T13:37:00.000+08:00

Hmmmm...christmas is in the air and everyone so busy about everything. Parties, gifts and presentation were the words buzzing in every nook of this 4 story building. And i was thinking that all people thought that when your in IT department, youre a nerd, wearing eye glasses, talks like an alien from another planet since you speak of abbreviations and codes. Talks like an alien...that is weird..but i was never like that. So i told my colleagues in the office, its time that we show them what IT guys are really made of. So we agreed to do a song presentation. Basically, it would be a kind of an acoustic thing. Perhaps if everything would be ok, we will have a bass and a two acoustic guitars to accompany me. Hehehehe, so i would be singing after all. Another year and i am here singing again with another company.

However i miss also the people from the old company i was part before. Those people were really full of vigor and enthusiasm. We had a dance presentation that time, where i lead the technical department. Luckily, after may years (daw) we have garnered the 3rd place award. I miss the friends i have there too, sometimes there are people that are unforgettable, although they already have forgotten you.

Well got to go, i have to fine tune this voice packets coming out from my esophagus. Hopefully, QoS will work this time, prioritizing the good tones before the bad ones.

another DSL simulation test

2005-12-10T15:47:00.000+08:00

Just planning the possible simulation test for our DSL services. Hmmm...each port will have multiple channels with different service levels and prioritization. It just like one big pipe with a number of small pipes inside. Now in that one port, i can allocate services for each channel and identifiy its prioritization. Okey, let me translate it to simpler words. A client with DSL can have internet, data and video services just using one modem and one port from our DSLAM. Voice and Video will have a separate pipes each and will always have the prioritization when transmitted. In this way, its just like voice and video will be running in a separate pipe but still they are part of a bigger pipe. Hmmmmm....Triple play as they say..With this kind of technology i can give you an internet access and at the same time can allow you have services which are locally accessed such as video server, game server or a voip server. Well, i have my two Zyxel Prestige P660R modems, Zyxel 1248 DSLAM, two patch cords, two Telco SIP gateways, two Level-One switches and a black-cased Pentium 4 PC with an 80gb SATA and 512mb memory in my table. Looks like i am ready for some heavy testing. Well i have to tell K0l0s0s that i have to tap in his Softswitch to make this work. Just another day....and Christmas is in the air. How i wish those people in the 4th floor would consider a Bonus earlier for the people below. hehehehehe.

What a Life!!!!....Its so hard

2005-12-07T13:00:00.000+08:00

I was standing in front Ororama Superstore, and minutes have already passed and i am still wondering why and how did i spend my 1,000 pesos. With all the skyrocketing prices of goods now, i dont know how will i survive every day. Christmas is fast approaching, and im still thinking how would i buy that 150 pesos exchange gift for our christmas party. Life so hard nowadays....sometimes i would ask myself, how much more can i do to change everything. For the past years, i have always been working. And in that long time, i have prove to be at always at my best, in every company i was employed. I have been very hardworking and every one in my family knows that. But, why until now i am still having a hard time?....earning money that is almost not enough to sustain.

Yes, people may say that what i am doing is not enough...but i have been consistent in every way. I have been always ambitious and not stopping in improving my abilities and skill. Today i only have 30 pesos left in my pocket...and God, i have scratched my head enough to think where would i find money for tomorrow.

Win XP networking troubleshooting tips

2005-12-03T11:23:00.000+08:00

Prob1: can ping public web sites but browser cannot display web pages
Reason: Possible DNS corruption or caching of negative DNS queries

1. Click on Start Menu, Click Run, type cmd
2. Type on DOS prompt "ipconfig /flushdns
3. Enter

If problem still persist, possible winsock dll corruption

1. Type on DOS prompt: "netsh winsock reset catalog"
2. Or you might want to reinstall it by typing "sfc /scannow" in the Run menu.
3. This will check the corrupted DLL and will restore it from XP CD installer.

Prob2: cannot ping even modem is connected
1. assuming cables are already checked and anti spyware is run.
2. Reinstall TCP IP
3. Click START, Click RUN and type cmd, then type at DOS prompt "netsh int ip reset c:\resetlog.txt"
4. You have to set the IP again if it has a static IP.

See you on next tip...im having fever lately.

working at a very young age

2005-12-03T08:25:00.000+08:00

i was riding on a jeep near the carmen bridge , when a wet, rugged looking kid alighted towards the front seat. He is probably, 8 to 10 years old and he is carrying a wooden box filled with cigarettes and candies. It was already 6 pm and raining hard. He was so wet, yet still managed to smile when the driver ask for a cigarette stick. What a kid....he is supposed to be in school not on the streets selling cigarettes. I can still remember when i was in the same age. I was a grade 3 student in a public elementary school. I sell candies and the locally cocunut made "tira-tira" to my seatmates during classes. And on saturday and sunday, i roamed around Nazareth and Macasandig selling the cacao chocolate "tableya". It makes me smile when i remember that i used to sell my goods first to the girls who has a crush on me in the room. You know, elementary days were quite full of childish infatuations...so i take advantage of it. Sometimes, the girl i visited would cry to her mother begging her to buy my "tableya", just to impress me in one way. Hmmmm...it really make me smile. Im not so much a good looking but there were quite a few girls that appreciates me that time unlike when i was in college (smile!)....Also there was quite a situation when one of the girl's mother did not pay her dues, and i have to visit them everyday asking for the payment. The girl was too embarassed then that she will not come out when im there...i was grade 4, she was grade 3.

However, inspite i was already selling that time, it never occured to me to stop going to school. I was determined to finish my education. That time i always think that the only thing that can make me rich was to become an engineer. I cling to that belief surviving every hardship i experienced in the way. And now i am an engineer..but still not rich....hehehe perhaps theres a time for everything under heaven. I just believe that i have to go on..and never stop until my last breathe.

Sometimes when i see these working street kids, i would think that if only i am a millionare i would build a school exclusively for less fortunate kids only. I was a working student before and it was really hard then. Going to school in the morning and working until dawn. Worse,i was taking up electronics engineering at regular schedules in MPSC. So during class, i really sleep because of stress. Reason why ladies doesnt like me that much before..i was so thin and groggy at all times...hmmm or im just not really good looking hehehe. Perhaps i have to admit na lang.

Well, to end this narrative story of mine, i just want to tell everyone that perhaps education is expensive nowadays, it is the only way we can survive with a little comfort perhaps in this wild world. Work if you want to, but never stop going to school, it is the only next big step you can take apart from working on the streets all morning.

Hardware Review 2: Wireless Radio

2005-12-03T02:54:00.000+08:00

One of my favorite BWA radio Airspan AS4030 capable of up to 45mbps data rate and operating at frequency at 3.5ghz frequency. The equipemnt is quite good especially with it's built in bandwidth management which allows using of service flows with corresponding priority. Which means, you can allocate fixed bandwidth for each traffic and identify the priority of each one. Streaming traffic such as voice will have the first priority and a fixed bandwidth in the pipe to allow trouble free voice communication. The coolest part is that it has 8 built in E1 ports which you can use for TDM channels. Well, with this ports, we can extend the PSTN services to a nearby remote location wiothout the need for E1 converters. It is more of a TDMoIP technology, which allows TDM over IP.

Another WiFi radio is the russian made Infinet Wireless Router. Imagine a router, bandwidth manager, VOIP gatekeeper, vpn endpoint and QoS all in one. So much features inside that i doubt if it is capable of long distance range. I heard it has an amplified version which has a built in amplifier inside the radio. But tried to test it, and its performance on voice stream was excellent. Even the response to streaming traffic, is much higher compared to other radio. Definitely an all in one wifi radio in the market.

VoIP again....CDO call center coming

2005-11-28T17:25:00.000+08:00

here i am staring at my pc in the office thinking...wondering how would i present such technology in a very simple way that would make my audience composed of marketing and sales people understand. We have been launching products on VoIP such as call center solutions, Voice over Wireless, Voice Over DSL, etc. In one word, its VoIP. Kolosos my colleague from Network Management Center have just discussed with me the basic architecture of a PSTN network against a VoIP network. Well, it is much alike though by principle...the only thing that differs are the protocols, the medium and i guess the hardware. Right now, everyone here is so busy about this local call center in Lim Ket Kai which is about to launch this month. It has been 3 days now that everyone is discussing possible setup and configurations to come up with the best solution for this new local call center. This would be definitely the first CDO local call center. Ariba!!! let me hear you say yeah!!.This would be the second call center in CDO that we will be supporting but this new one is the first one where we design the whole call center solutions including the server and clients. One tip, this one is own by a prominent cable tv operator here in Cagayan de Oro. I bet that would be a bunch of good looking ladies there in that call center. And its funny that the site was the same site where the famous high class bar "Pyramid" was formerly located.

DSLAM training on Zyxel IES-1248

2005-11-24T20:11:00.000+08:00

We just had our training on Zyxel DSLAM conducted by engineers from Zenshin Systems. Some stuff on configuration and troubleshooting were discussed, also open forums regarding existing problems on CPE's and DSLAM configuration. But what interested me was the feature on multiple PVC. With this feature i can dedicate a connection to each services and route it through a VLAN switch. Separate connection for voice, video and internet browsing. I can also create a separate PVC for management purposes only. Separate VLAN for subscribers and for our network is also a good one, so we can protect our routers from possible attack from DSL subscribers. However, the best part of the training was the free jackets given to all participants. Hmmm, if all suppliers are like this, you bet their names will always be remembered.

By the way, i think i have to do several simulation test these coming days, to verify its features. As of now, i am still drowning myself from this myriad of wireless equipments.

By the way that picture above is during the DSL training i conducted to Marketing and Sales Department. How in a hell, it pop up in this post hehehe...well just leave it there.

High Ridge at Aluba Macasandig : CDO's newest tourist spot

2005-11-13T11:05:00.000+08:00

I was surprised recently when a huge banner pop up infront the house, and a huge post saying "High Ridge tourist spot destination overlooking the city THIS WAY" Then i began to notice several vehicles going up to the place we once called "The Heaven". The place was once closed by police because of so many teenagers are coming there bringing with them liqours. Lovers and couples in the past once enjoyed hiking to top, bringing with them food and having picnic while looking at the wide horizon above the sprawling city of Cagayn de Oro. I remember, we used to sit down in a sampaloc tree just meters away from the Liberty Transmission Tower . But after several months last year, the place was closed down at night because of so many visitors drinking, pot sessions(daw?) and sometimes car sex (whew! doing it under the moonlight..hehhehe). Then last month, the place was declared a tourist spot. We thought it was the same place, but it turn out to be farther from the place we knew as Heaven. Last night, we visit the place and it was beautiful. Approximately a kilometer away from the highway below, we travelled by almost 15 minutes until we arrived there. We arrived in a wooden gate with a name High Ridge, then we follow a narrow path which leads to the restaurant. Entrance fee is 50 pesos which is consumable. They said the restaurant is a branch of Dear Manok, since it was owned by the same person. Th place was not really spacious but there are tables and the chairs in the ground. There were green and blue lights decorated on palm trees. There are also tables in the ridge area, where you can dine while enjoying the sight of the whole city. A good place to dine, chat, think (?) and maybe to show off your romantic juice to your partner. It is an open ground, where you can see the stars above and the yellow lights emanating from the metropolis. Too bad it rains when we were there, so we did not enjoy the sight so well. But for all of you who wants to visit the area just follow the road to Aluba until you will arrived in an intersection where the left road leads to Libona. Youll find the banner there and the arrow signs. You will notice also a closed small store in the second house, dont mind that, coz it is where i live hehehehhe.

Got so busy with wireless

2005-11-10T13:39:00.000+08:00

I felt my head is already vibrating already because of the radio signals coming through in and out of my brain. It feels like i am inside a microwave oven and waiting for my brain to be toasted and fried by these microwave frequencies. 2.4Ghz and 5.7Ghz becomes my bestfriend nowadays. I was assigned as the lead engineer for the wireless testing team which is responsible of testing all wireless products being submitted to us. We are currently working on the tranche 2 wireless data expansion in Mindanao. Gosh! wires , antennas and radio are cluttered in our makeshift wireless lab which consist of 2 PC, Voip gateway, qcheck software, traffic emulators and asterisk server. Hopefully we can purchase the test equipment we have been waiting for. Beside the wireless lab is also setup for DSL testing. We have radios from Infinet, Motorola, Trango, Proxim, SkyPilot, WiLan, Angel, etc. By the way, we have the 25 percent weigth for the wireless product that would win in this project.

Windows XP Built in traffic monitor for spyware detection

2005-11-09T15:31:00.000+08:00

Last time, i recommended to internet cafes who have problems with spyware to use packet sniffer instead. By detecting the source IP and the ports, they can easily pin point possible PC suspected of spyware infection. However, i still thought that there must be a better way to detect abnormal traffic within the PC aside from using some freeware bandwitdh monitors. So i have here a very basic tech tip which you can use, when you feel those freeware are not that reliable.
1. Just click on Control Panel - Administrative Tools - Performance.

2. Delete all existing counters and add a new one.
3. Click on add counter icon and click on network interface.

4. Add the packet/sec counter or you can also include the packets sent or received.

5. Normal traffic may look like this.

6. Abnormal traffic (possible spyware infection) may look like this.

7. When a certain download or upload is interrupted, this is the graph that you will see.

So next time you experienced slow internet access, try to stop all internet activity on each PC then observe the traffic of each interface. Abnormal increase of packets per second on that inteface even in the absence of internet activity may be caused by a spyware or a virus.

Freeware Review 3: WhatisTransferring

2005-11-05T16:19:00.000+08:00

Past few days, i was answering to calls from internet cafe regarding slow internet access. Tried to check our monitoring and it shows most of them consumes 100% of their bandwidth. After checking our modems and connection, it turn out that some of their PC were infected with spyware. Well, they can just clean up their PC and the problem is gone. However, with more than 30 PC with users online, it would be a bad timing for the owners, since it would mean loss of income at that moment. Well, ISP cannot do nothing more, since the problem is within the Local Area Network. Then I thought of using a packet sniffer which must be lighter than Ethereal so that it can be easily downloaded and the same basic features to capture packet. With primary objective of knowing the source IP which is broadcasting too much UDP/TCP packets and what ports it is using, i came to use the freeware WhatisTransferring. Using the freeware, you just observed the Source IP which broadcast too many UDP or TCP packets, then take note of it. Then you can start disconnecting it from the LAN and clean it up first. In this way, you dont need to shut down the whole network and you can isolate the cause of the problem much faster. Well, there are many freeware you can use there, but i think this one is good.

Love Story 1 : The Wood in the Island

2005-10-30T20:38:00.000+08:00

It was a beautiful day...sky was blue, waves were catching up with one another, as if they are kids running around..innocently playing in the vast sea. It was 5 years ago where in the same sand i sitted, the same rock i held and the same beautiful day that i shared my most unforgettable moments with my bestfriend.....

I was lost and lonely. I cried for so many nights asking myself, why and how. The desperation and dismay i felt against the many things that has happened to me were choking me. Rex was again with his friends, Stella was asking for her school allowance and my parents were sick and i cant even afford to buy even a cheap vitamins for them. There were so many of them around me, but i felt i was so alone and isolated. Sometimes, i woke up in the middle of the night, crying without a reason. I cried for hours and silently screaming the pain i felt deep inside. I want to held my breath and drowned myself with my tears until such time i will feel no more pain and emptiness.

Then one time, I was asked by my boss to visit a certain island, to take pictures for our travel agency. The island was beautiful indeed. The scenery brought me inner comfort for brief moment that i was away from the city...away from my family and Rex. Then, for the silly of me, I thought of putting a wood beside me while I sat down in the sand. Then holding the wood, as if it was a human being, I make sure no one is looking and began to talk about my problems, my family and my dreams. I barely notice that a man was actually beside me, listening to my blabbering. To my surprised and embarassment, i quickly stood up and angrily ask him. "Who are you and why are you here?". Mam, actually i was here before you came. he smiled and pointed his finger to the tree beside me. " I was there up in the tree, i like to sit there and spend my time watching the horizon until it dawns.Do you like sunset mam?" "Amely is my name Mr...." Karry, im Karry. By the way Amely,can i ask you a question? I nodded. " Did the wood answered you back while your talking to him?" he smiled. I laughed hard, and for the first time i was laughing...we talked the whole afternoon until the sun sets and I have to go back to my hotel. He waved goodbye and said. " Amely, good night and see you tomorrow". I did my task, taking pictures in the morning and going back to that tree near the sea every afternoon spending my time talking and laughing with Karry.

And for the first time in my life, I felt i was not alone...that i have a bestfriend...when in fact we just meet few days ago. I felt so comfortable and at ease when im with him. He makes me laugh with all his corny jokes, and makes me smile with his slapsticks. One time, he stands up in front of me and sing his heart out to the tune of Love moves in Mysterious way. It was a high note song but he sang it well than a woman. It was my last night in the island. For the days i stayed in the island, i felt i have found a bestfriend that i have been looking all my life. Hey Amely, i have a gift for you and i will give it tomorrow. Keep it so youll be reminded of me always." as he giggled like a child. I smiled too, but i felt heavy as i looked at him." Well see each other again Karry, ill visit you again".

I was packing my things and i am ready to go. Then i thought of visiting my bestfriend again and perhaps ask him to come with me for a vacation. Then i can tour him to our City and we can talk longer. I can ask Ray to accomodate him temporarily in his boarding house. I was excited to the mere thought of it.. i was running to the tree and calling him..Karry! where are you?. No one anwered instead a little girl was sitting there and crying. I asked here. "Hello, why are you crying?" The girl looked at me and said. " Your Amely, are you? my brother talks about you always at home. I held her. " Your Karry's sister, how are you? where is he?. She looked at me again and cried." He just died last night of heart attack". I cant move. " Your kidding right?. My brother has a rheumatic heart, he takes a rest during the day climbing up that tree and watching the horizon until sunsets. I was speechless, as all the tears came flowing from my eyes. I have found a bestfriend...and i lost him. Then the girl held me and said. " by the way, before he died he gave this to me. It has a name engrave on it". It was a small wooden bust of a man with an engraved letters " to my bestfriend". A small note was attached to it. And it reads "this is made from the wood you have talked to for hours, i will miss you".

Hardware Review 1: Zyxel Prestige 660R DSL Modem

2005-10-30T20:01:00.000+08:00

Zyxel DSL Modem has a quite a good form, which can be a factor in marketing appearance. Its blue and sturdy look provides a feeling of reliability and high performance to clients connected to DSL services. It has the same basic stuff inside (NAT,Port Forwarding, SPI, Access List, Routing, Bridge, etc). However i was interested on one feature which is the IP Alias. IP Alias is the capability of one modem to share 1 public IP to 3 different network. Which means, that i can connect 3 VLAN's or different LAN to internet access and denied others without the need to put in a router or a layer 3 switch. For example, I have 3 VLAN's for each department which is Engineering, IT and Customer Service. The reason for the VLAN is to separate each department' network, to improve security and access to dedicated servers. However, i need to connect Engineering and IT to Internet but still maintain their VLAN ID. With IP alias, we can just easily connect the two VLAN without the need to change their IP or disable their VLAN assignment. It's a simple feature but helpful, especially when IT budget is limited.

Other feature also is the address to address mapping. Which means you can map several public IP to different Private IP. For example, you have 3 servers in the data center. A VoIP server, Application server and a File Server. You need to separate each access, so you assign each with public IP. However, your concern with security, so you need to assigned it with a Private IP, while doing NAT to mask your LAN IP's. Others may opt to do routing, but with this modem, you can keep the NAT and still come up with the same objective.

Freeware Review 2: Traffic Emulator

2005-10-16T14:41:00.000+08:00

Are you trying to measure the reliability of a server, router, firewall or any access point? Well check this freeware! You can simulate a heavy traffic client-server activity and stress test your equipment. By setting the number of source IP address which will generate the traffic, the number of packets they will send, the type of protocol (TCP,UDP,ICMP,Others) and the destination IP of your equipment,your ready now for some major loadin'& killin' stress test. Download it HERE dude! See more of the freeware i used to troubleshoot network problems on my next posts.

Freeware Review 1: Qcheck performance test

2005-10-16T14:28:00.000+08:00

I was assigned to do the performance test for Motorola Canopy Access Points and Subscriber module. With the absence of a reliable tool, i have to search for some software in which i can do comparison. Basically, i need the response times, throughput and streaming test. Then i stumble upon these freeware from IXIA, which is very useful for a basic network test.You can select what protocol to use (TCP,UDP,IPX,SPX) and set the data size for response and throughput test. You can also do streaming test with UDP or IPX protocol at different data rates. You may want to check it it out HERE.

VoIP for all! long distance no more?

2005-10-09T20:13:00.000+08:00

VoIP or Voice over IP has been recently a hot topic in the news lately when NTC released its official stand about it. Read it here. Classifying VoIP as a value added services has sent a wide grin on the faces of companies who despised long distance charges. However, telcos were not quite amused by it, considering that every ISP in the country can host voice services to compete with the "giants" in the telecommunication industry. Imagine this, a 20 year old IT whiz geek who pride himself on his expertise in configuring a VoIP server using a high end PC clone, will just need to have 3 to 5 trunk lines and a high speed bandwidth internet connection then viola! a full operational Voice services for US pinoys who would like to call their CDO relatives at a lower cost. All they have to do is connect to the VoIP server through the Internet, register, subscribe, send their payment through Western Union and they can call Cagayan de Oro. Then guess what happen to the kid....well he become rich.

Now how in a hell can we do that? I have seen solutions from popular brands. We have Avaya, Cisco, 3com, Huawei and etc. who have sell complete solutions on VoIP. But how about for those offices that needs to connect to VoIP and doesnt have enough money to invest on 10 thousand dollars worth of machine? Consider a company with 3 offices in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Manila needs to call their sub offices everyday for reports and stuffs. And these suboffices needs to call their Main Office and other suppliers in Manila everyday too. From the sound of it, you think of thousands of dollars in equipment alone. However, what if we can make an alternative solution which is much lower and cheaper but the same functionality. 1000 dollars high end PC to be used as a VoIP server, 100 dollars FXO gateway, 2 units of 70 dollars FXS gateway and snacks, professional charges at 1000 dollars maybe or less...then you got your system. All in all we have 2,240 dollars for an initial invetsment on a full operational VoIP system.

The secret of this cheap alternative solution will be on the VoIP server which basically was a Linux Open Source PBX technology. For those who are interested or who are looking for an expert on this, our group can certainly help you in so many ways. Please email me, kris8x@yahoo.com or kris8x2000@gmail.com for details and inquiries.

What makes Linux so popular among IT geeks?

2005-10-04T06:53:00.000+08:00

With the recent operation crackdown on pirated copies of Microsoft, several establishments have opted to use Linux based operating systems. Of course, there were so many complaints from users, especially those who were more familiar with windows. I came to visit a popular Linux group forum, KLUG and i noticed that some of its users really hates windows OS or sounds like they hate it..or im not sure if its just a show off. Now the question, why is it that if we talk about linux, we associate it with IT experts, geeks, hackers and computer whiz people. Sometimes, the qoute "I know Linux" is another term for "I am an IT expert". Well, each operating system has its own features and vulnerabilities. Some may choose one from another, it really depends upon ones expertise and strategy in managing its own network. Some may prefer Windows because its friendly, easy and has a strong tech support. Or others may prefer Linux, because it is open source, free, reliable and has less vulnerabilities. But in my opinion, there are reasons why IT geeks prefer to show to all thay they prefer Linux.
Aside from its technical features, psychologically these are also be partly their reasons.
1. Linux is unfriendly to a user who has limited IT knowledge. Which means that MAJORITY of us doesnt understand it. So if you understand it, and knows how to use it, then you can be consider as the FEW WHIZ out there. Sometimes beng with the few, is what makes us feel special and extraordinary.
2. Linux is more of a CLI instead of GUI, which makes it unpopular to ordinary users.
3. Linux is open source, which makes it basically free to download and to use. So if you are a linux expert, then "free from licensing" is your war banner to all companies out there.

Others may argue that Linux is better, or Windows is still the best, i think its just the same. Those software were developed to make our work much easier, effecient and productive. Expertise depends upon the features you need to squeeze out from an OS. All i can say, why windows is much popular, it is because they have the most brilliant minds in marketing. They can mask and hide the vulnerabilities of their product through features available. But in fairness. Windows has some features in which are really good and easy to manage.

Why Cagayan de Oro is the Best?

2005-10-01T07:13:00.000+08:00

I was going to my work when i boarded a Patag liner in the corner of City Hall just near the Lourdes College. I was looking and enjoying the beauty of the two floating restaurants in the Carmen River, as the jeep was crossing the bridge. Then i realized that the beauty and grandeur of a city will really depends upon the people that lives in it. Cagayan de Oro is known as the City of Golden Friendship, and we have proven and affirmed it to all visitors that came to the city. I worked for 2 years in Davao City and i can really see the difference of the people there from ours. Dabawenyo in majority were more of a socialite and arrogant. Although i do have down to earth and kind friends in Davao. You've got to be "in" to be acknowledged. In fact, if you want to be respected in a mall or any office, you have to speak Tagalog, even if it sounds so Bisaya. Have been in Cebu City for 8 months for my board exam review once. In Cebu, you beware of sweet smile and good intentions shown to you by strangers. It may be a snatcher, modus operandi or a rapist waiting to capture you. Never wear a jewelry when youre in the city nor display your new cellphone, i tell you that is dangerous in a city like Cebu. Im not really biased, since i have been to several provinces and cities in my previous work, but there is no City as warmth and friendly as Cagayan de Oro. You might ask why? I can give you a few reasons:
1. In Cagayan, we do not imitate other Cities and pretend to be high class by speaking languages which is not ours. We speak Bisaya at our own unique intonation and speak tagalog only to those people who do not understand our Bisaya.
2. In Cagayan, people smile a lot because were happy and beautiful (applause cagayan!)
3. In Cagayan, streets were safe even in the wee hours of the evening because we have huge post lamps that illuminates every street in the city. And we have police who are vigilant and a mayor who cares about us (is it election already?hehe)
4. In Cagayan, we have large and shiny with all the lights accessories JEEPNEYS! (try to check Cebu and Davao)
5. In Cagayan, TAXI are Toyota Corolla, Nissan Sentra, Vios, etc. Complete with aircon and stereo sounds. (check Davao dude!)
6. In Cagayan, we have Night Cafe, where people whether rich or poor, socialite or not meet, drink and dine every Friday and Saturday of the week. People in CDO are one, we dont biased people based on their status or language.
7. In Cagayan, people loves to sing and are good singers. We have Mark Bautista and Aegis to prove that. We have videokes everywhere.
8. In Cagayan, we have the cleanest and beautiful markets. Check our Carmen and Cogon Market and you will probably say, "hey thats not a market, its a superstore!"
9. In Cagayan, we are the city with the most number of Telcos. We have Philcom,Sotelco, Cruztelco,Italtel, Misortel, Bayantel and Globe. See how high tech we are? but Philcom is the most popular of them all here (Go Philcom!)
10. And most of all, ONLY IN CAGAYAN you will find the best tourist spots. So biyahe na! WOW CAGAYAN TA BAI!

There so many things to say about Cagayan but i think one good reason why i love this City is because i was born here and i live here. There is no place like home i guess.

The many faces of me

2005-09-18T18:13:00.000+08:00

IT Systems and Operation Server Room and ME
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Badminton Match at the Sports Zone

2005-09-18T17:12:00.000+08:00

This my new blog site. Just played badminton with my batchmates yesterday September 17,2005 at Sports Zone in Tomas Saco, Macasandig. Together with Anton of NMC-Philcom we battled against the unorthodox style of Alex of MPSC and Sanchez of HarvestSeo. Teresa of NMC-Philcom serves as our referee. After a gruelling swish and swak, we lost by 4 points on the third round. It was a good match i think, even if i have difficulty in walking afterwards because of a sore feet due to my cheap shoes and socks. We paid 300 pesos afterwards, since we consume 2 hours in the court. I liked the ambiance of the place, its peaceful, clean and arranged. I also noticed a boxing gym in the corner filled with equipments for jabbing and punching. There are 4 badminton courts available in the area, 2 has a wooden floor while the other has rubber on it. Wooden courts are priced 120 per hour while the rubber courts cost 150 per hour. One thing i like about the place is that its safe outside and there are tables and chairs, where you can sit and drink for awhile. My body is aching but i enjoy a lot. There is no refreshing experience more than enjoying and exercising your body in a badminton match. It is an ultimate unwind experience, instead of staying at those dark and noisy bars.